Loving Allegra
by Carrie7
Summary: Slightly revamped and entirely reloaded, this story is about a young Hobbit named Allegra, who literally bumps into an incredible adventure. This is basically the old added in character who follows the original plot sort of ploy. Anyway, it's a OCPippin f
1. The Party

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter One: The Party

Disclaimer_: I own nothing of Lord of the Rings besides Allegra and Mithfalien. _

**New Author's note**: _This story has been dormant for almost an entire year! Can you believe that? Well, I'm back, and I intend to get somewhere this time. And I've revamped a LOT of the story, too, mostly the romance between Allegra and Pippin. After not having written anything on it for a long time, then coming back and reviewing all I'd done with their relationship, I just didn't like it. To me, there was too much slapstick, pushing over, falling down comedy that was complete crap and needed to be taken out (such as Allegra shoving Pippin out of the bed at Bree. Not cool.) Furthermore, I thought that their relationship could grow at a slower, more normal rate than it did before. Besides the mushy stuff, I also tried to go back and be a little more descriptive with just about everything, since I felt that it sounded too close to the movies, and no one wants that. So without much more talking, I bid you read Loving Allegra: Take Two. _

Original Author's note_: I have several things to point out before you start reading. I went in the back of my book and found timelines, dates and whathaveyou, and figured out the ages of Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin at the time of the party. Frodo was 33 (duh), Sam was 21, Merry was 19, and little Peregrin Took was only 11. Seventeen years pass from the time of Bilbo's party, making Frodo 50, Sam 38, Merry 36, and Pippin 28. Just so there's no confusion._

The day had finally come. Bilbo Baggins was today eleventy-one, and he was throwing an extravagant party to which all his family and very best friends were invited. An hour earlier he was greeting guests at the back gate, but now he was taking the time to tell a tale to the children of his adventures sixty years before, as he often did. He really had their attention by now as he reached the climax of his story.

"...But they spent so much time arguing the whether-tos and the why-fors, that the sun's first light crept over the tops of the trees and..._poof!_" the small children gasped, "they were all turned to stone!" Bilbo Baggins finished his story and sat back to admire his handy work. The children begged him all at once to tell them more, but Bilbo simply answered with, "That's all for tonight." A disappointed groan issued from the group of hobbit children, who got up, a few at a time, and left to find other things to do.

"Did that really happen, Mr. Bilbo?" asked ten-year-old Allegra Burrows, her big brown eyes staring up at him.

"It certainly did," he replied with a smile.

"My mummy says you make them up," said Allegra.

"Does she, now?" asked Bilbo with a merry laugh, amused by the child's carelessness.

"I don't listen to anything she says, though," said Allegra honestly. But then her expression changed from confidence to worry. "Those things really happen to you, right? You really did fight a dragon?"

"I did indeed," he reassured her with an affectionate smile.

"I don't think I'll ever go on an adventure," she sighed.

"Oh, you might yet, you're only thirteen," said Bilbo.

"I'm ten," muttered Allegra sadly. "I'm too small for any of that stuff anyways."

"Now look here, lass," said Bilbo getting down on his knee and putting a comforting hand on Allegra's shoulder. "If there's one thing I've learn on all of my adventures, it's to never give up. Just because you're smaller than everyone else doesn't mean that you can't make a difference."

"I guess so," said Allegra with a half smile.

"That's the spirit," said Bilbo with a chuckle, getting up and patting Allegra on the head. "Run along now and have some fun, won't you?"

"Okay," said Allegra with a smile. She turned away from the kind old man and followed the music to the tables and benches where all her family's friends sat and chatted with one another. In the middle, people were dancing and singing. Allegra was heading toward them when she was caught by her vest, making her come to an abrupt halt. She looked up and saw the smiling eyes of Gandalf, the local wizard.

"I waited around all afternoon and not a single hug or hello," he said with a smile.

"I looked for you, but I couldn't find you!" cried Allegra wrapping her tiny arms around his waist. "I missed you!" Gandalf was very popular with the younger hobbits, but Allegra had grown especially fond of him. He didn't come around very often, but when he did, he took some time out of his schedule to teach her a little Elvish, or show her maps of the world.

"All you needed to do was follow the fireworks. I'm usually the one standing under them," he said.

"I guess I was too busy listening to Mr. Bilbo's story," she said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about that," he said patting her dark curls with one of his large hands. "Why don't you find Frodo and wish him happy birthday?" He lowered her to the ground and waved goodbye to her with a smile. Allegra waved back and ran towards the people that were dancing. She found Frodo, who was dancing in the middle of the group, and tugged on the back of his pants. He looked down at her and grinned.

"Well, hello!" he said with a smile. "What can I do for you, Allegra Burrows?"

"I just wanted to say happy birthday," said Allegra, trying to speak loudly over the music, but right in the middle, the song stopped, and the words 'happy birthday' rang out clear. Her cheeks turned brilliant red as everyone looked at her and sighed one big 'awwww!'" Allegra mumbled a goodbye and ran away, accidentally plowing into Meriadoc Brandybuck. They both toppled over, taking young Peregrin Took down with them. They were her two best friends. They did almost everything together. Merry was nineteen, not even into his tweens yet, and Pippin was still only eleven. Despite the age gap, they were as inseparable as bread and butter.

"Hi," said Allegra cheerfully.

"Get off! You're smashing my leg!" squeaked Pippin. Merry shoved Allegra off him and got up, freeing Pippin's leg.

"Sorry," said Allegra.

"It's alright," said Merry.

"What're you guys doing?" she asked.

"We're getting a firework and-," Pippin started to say. Merry elbowed him in the ribs, making him cry out.

"What do you want a firework for?" asked Allegra.

"To shoot it off, of course," said Pippin, receiving another sharp jab from Merry.

"You can't do that, you'll get in trouble!" cried Allegra.

"No we won't," said Merry.

"And how are you supposed to get to that cart with people watching?" she asked.

"That's just our trouble, we've been waiting a whole hour to do it, but haven't got a chance. There's too many people around," said Merry.

"Want to help?" asked Pippin, getting elbowed again.

"No thank you, I'm going to watch Gandalf," Allegra said.

"You're no fun," said Pippin.

"At least I'm not stupid," said Allegra.

"I'm not stupid!" cried Pippin.

"Yes you are," said Merry.

"You're supposed to be on my side!" said Pippin.

"Come on, Pip. If she doesn't want to help, it doesn't really matter," said Merry as he began to walk away.

"Fine...see you later then!" said Pippin loudly as if it were a comeback.

"You're pathetic, Pippin," said Allegra. He stuck his tongue out at her as he walked away with Merry, both eyeing the cart of fireworks. Allegra hurried over to the small group of people that were watching as Gandalf sent off the fireworks. She squeezed to the front of the crowd so that she could see clearly. When he had run out, he went back to the cart he'd brought to fetch some more. He returned with an armful of brightly packaged fireworks. He picked one out, stuck the end into the ground, and sent it off with a touch of his staff. It exploded far over their heads into blue streaks, which seemed to spread over all of Hobbiton. The crowd responded with laugher and cheering. The fireworks went off in all shapes, sizes, and colors for nearly a quarter of an hour before a huge explosion went off from one of the tents near by. Allegra heard the unmistakable cries of Merry and Pippin. They'd actually done it! The blast of red and orange quickly assumed the shape of a great dragon with fiery eyes and wings. It descended quickly on the party, looking as if it might swoop down and eat a hobbit or two. Not knowing that the dragon was not real, the partygoers became frightened. Several tables were over turned by the flood of people trying to avoid the dragon's teeth, knocking food and drink everywhere. The firework dragon swooped low over the crowd, went past it, exploding with a great bang in the distance, showering the landscape with red and orange lights. When the crowd realized that it was not a real dragon, they laughed and cheered. Allegra directed her attention to the burnt tent where Merry and Pippin were grinning with blackened faces. They were soon seized by the ears and drug off to do the dishes. Allegra made her way over to the dishwashing tent with a smug smile on her face.

"Don't say _anything_," said Pippin flatly.

"You guys look horrible," said Allegra, almost laughing.

"Yeah, well, it was worth it," said Pippin.

"I told you you'd get caught," said Allegra.

"You aren't always right, you know," said Pippin, getting irritated.

"Sure I am. Name a time that I wasn't right," said Allegra. Pippin opened his mouth for a second, and closed it as if he forgot. He did this a few times before muttering something. "What was that?" asked Allegra.

"I can't think of any...But I'm sure if I thought about it long enough, I'd find at _least_ one time you were wrong!" said Pippin not wanting to admit defeat.

"Shut up you guys, you're giving me a headache!" shouted Merry.

"No need to yell," said Allegra, putting her small hands on her pudgy little hips.

"What?!" shouted Merry again.

"Why's he talking so loud?" whispered Allegra.

"He can't hear very good since that fire work went off," said Pippin uncomfortably. "I hope that's not permanent..." They could hear the partygoers crying for a speech from Bilbo. He reluctantly got up in front of them and stood on a crate. Allegra, Merry, and Pippin were mostly ignoring him as he addressed each branch of his family tree and his friends. Allegra was getting bored watching Merry and Pippin wash dishes, so she directed her attention to Bilbo. A strange look had washed over his face, sort of uncomfortable.

"I regret to announce that this is the end. I'm leaving now. I bid you all a fond farewell. Goodbye," he said. And with that he disappeared into thin air. Allgra's jaw dropped in astonishment.

"Guys, guys! Did you see that?!" she cried, tugging on Pippin's shirtsleeve so hard that it was beginning to hurt his arm.

"See _what_?" cried Pippin, wrenching his arm free.

"Mr. Bilbo _disappeared_!" she hissed.

"He _what_?" cried Pippin.

"He disappeared!" she said.

"Allegra! Allegra!" she heard her mother's voice call over the crowd, who was making quite a lot of noise. Her parents emerged out of the crowd with scared looks on both their faces. "Allegra, we're leaving." Peony Burrows said.

"But mom," Allegra started to say.

"Come on, now," she said, seising her daughter's tiny hand and pulling her towards home. Allegra waved goodbye to Merry and Pippin. Pippin waved back with a strange, almost sad expression. Merry hadn't noticed.

Allegra never forgot Bilbo Baggins's eleventy first birthday. Afterwards, people constantly spoke of it, mostly because no one had seen hide or hair of Bilbo Baggins since. It had been seventeen years, and still people occasionally spoke of it, though the potency of the story had almost completely worn off.

Allegra was now twenty-seven and her father had decided that she should start learning his trade of blacksmith. He was growing old and couldn't manage it anymore, and since he had no sons to take over for him, Allegra was the next best thing. Allegra protested (and so did her mother) but in the end, Allegra decided that she should take it up for her family's sake. The job lasted from nine in the morning to seven at night. She wished that her predecesor hadn't made the hours so long. She totally loathed it, and felt that she was locked up in a cage. However, throughout the years, Allegra had grown stronger and more independant. Most of the time it didn't bother her so much to be alone. She could consentrate on the task at hand, and she worked much quicker. But for the past few weeks, Allegra had begun to feel worn like a an old pair of socks. Her hammering arm was getting weaker, and sometimes it fell asleep. She found herself getting winded at odd times, and on most days, mostly towards the end of her shift, tears welled up in her eyes and threatened menecingly to fall. During these times, she became so horribly nostolgic that her heart seemed to ache. She never had any time to spend with Merry and Pippin. She missed them so much that when Pippin started coming into the forge by himself in the afternoons, she looked forward to it so much that she lost her focus a couple times and ended up hurting herself somehow.

"Why do you have to work so much?" asked Pippin in the place of a greeting as he entered the forge. Allegra's heart flipped in her chest. _Thank the powers that be for Peregrin Took. Even if he is a neusence, _Allegra thought happily at the sound of his voice. It was almost five o' clock, and the summer sun was just beginning to consider setting. Allegra was busy making horseshoes and hardly bothered to look up at him. Although she was glad to see him, she knew that if she opened her mouth, something aweful would come out. Worse yet, she was afraid to cry in front of him. Although most Hobbit girls would cry in front of the Hobbit boys simply for attention, Allegra would sooner stick a hot poker in her eye than cry in front of one of her best friends. "I mean you're in here...what, ten hours every day?"

"Yeah," muttered Allegra. _He can't see me cry,_ she thought to herself, over and over again as she gritted her teeth together behind her lips._ It would be akward._

"So why do it?" Pippin asked. Allegra was irritated to find that she was getting rather annoyed at him. _Be gentle, don't be scathing, _she thought with a mental wince.

"So I can get money for my family," she said, a little irritated. He asked most of the same questions every time he came to visit her. She wondered what the point was of asking the same questions every day. Didn't he have better things to do? Like socialize with Merry? It was weird enough not seeing them together out in public. _Don't think such things. You're happy that he's here, remember?_

"Working is over-rated. Just steal from Farmer Maggot," said Pippin walking around and poking at all Allegra's tools that hung on hooks near her workstation.

"Well, unlike you, Peregrin, I'm not an unemployed idiot," said Allegra, giving him a very snide, annoyed smile that accidentally twitched in the corners as she dunked the hot metal into a barrel or water, making a loud hissing noise. "And leave my tools alone," she barked. Pippin put down the old tongs and shoved his hands in his pockets. _Why do you do it, Allegra? _She asked herself miserably. _He's done nothing to you._

"I may be unemployed, but I'm not an idiot," he said after a pause, taking one of his hands out of his pocket and fidgeting with a discarded nail. Allegra chuckled and rolled her eyes as she began to heat up another strip of metal with the tongs. "I'm not!"

"Yes you are, and you should know that by now since everyone tells you so," said Allegra.

"Well that's nice," he said a little saddly. Allegra hated herself for snapping at him. After all, he was always so nice to her...even if he wasn't the smartest Hobbit in the Shire. He picked up a thin sheet of metal and looked at it curiously. "What's this?" he asked.

"A semitar blade," she said. "Put it down, though, you're going to hurt yourself." He set the blade down carefully and hovered over her shoulder as he watched her pound the metal into a horseshoe shape. "So what do you want?" asked Allegra looking over at him. His face was closer to hers than either of them was comfortable with. Pippin stood back and looked into his friend's eyes. They were glossy with tears and bloodshot from exhaustion. He paused, forgetting what he was about to say, as he stared into Allegra's distraught face. Allegra looked away quickly and cleared her throat, hoping he hadn't seen that she was about to cry.

"We're all heading down to the Green Dragon for a drink and maybe a song or two...do you want to come?" he asked gingerly.

"I've got work to do, Pippin," said Allegra, her voice cracking.

"Can't you just blow off work for a couple hours and come relax a bit?" he asked hopefully.

"No," she lied. She felt terrible. She desperately wanted to go to the Green Dragon with him, but she still had a few more horseshoes to go. Allegra caught the disappointed look on his face out of the corner of her eye. _I'm sorry, Pippin,_ she thought, but could not bring herself to say it.

"Oh, and Merry and I are going to raid Farmer Maggot's crop tomorrow morning, and we wanted to know if you'd come," said Pippin, his voice a little dejected. "But I guess you've got to be here, so..."

"I can go if I can't get out of the hole before work. Have you got a pair of pants and a shirt I can wear?" asked Allegra.

"Sure," said Pippin.

"Good, because we all know how bad it can go in a skirt," said Allegra. They both thought back on the only time Allegra went on a raid in a dress. She kept getting her skirt caught on corn stalks, and she tripped a few times. They were almost caught, and it was a pure stroke of luck that Allegra's parents had friends over for dinner in the garden so she could sneak into the house with a ripped dirty dress, unnoticed.

"So I'll see you in the morning?" he asked with a hopeful edge to his voice.

"Sure, Pippin," said Allegra, her voice cracking again. Pippin nodded and walked backwards out of the forge for a moment, perhaps waiting to see if she looked up at him, then turned around and left. Allegra lifted her head and watched Pippin walk back up the road, looking at his dragging feet with his hands shoved in his pockets. He kicked a stone up the road as he walked. She sighed. _Why does he want to spend so much time around me?_ She wondered saddly. _I'm sweaty, I'm sooty, and I probably smell horrible...how does he stand it? _Allegra wiped her singed, sweat soaked bangs out of her eyes with the back of her leather gloves. One more shoe to go, and she could go home and have supper. She was so sick of banging on hot metal all day. Her eyebrows were almost gone from leaning over a fire all day long, her hair was slightly singed and even caught fire once the week before when she accidentally left it down leaving a horrible burnt spot towards the ends on one side. If she cut her hair, it would look masculine, but if she left it alone, it would look disgusting. She had burn scars on her arms and one on her foot where a drop of hot liquid metal had scorched the hair clean off. It never really grew back. And, sometimes, the worst of all her ailments, she had a ringing in her ears from all the pounding of her hammer and chisel, and at times it would grow so loud that she couldn't sleep at night.

"I'm going to stand up for myself and tell dad that I'm going to quit being a blacksmith," said Allegra angrily to herself as closing time creeped up on her. "This is ridiculous. It's a man's job, anyway." She put out the fire and threw down her tongs and hammer. "But how will we survive? Maybe I'll do like Samwise Gamgee and care for people's gardens for money," she thought aloud. She hung her leather apron and gloves on the hook by the entrance and left, leaving the half finished horseshoe lying on the floor where it had fallen with a great heavy clank.

It usually took her almost an hour to walk home, which could be very unpleasant when one is exhausted and hungry. The sun sank swiftly behind the horizon, and as it did, Allegra could hear hoof beats ahead. She looked up just in time to see Gandalf flying down the road on horseback as if he were leaving Hobbiton. Allegra was so shocked that she forgot to be happy to see him. He didn't seem to even notice that he'd almost knocked her down.

"Wonder where he's going in such a hurry," mumbled Allegra. She continued on her way, assuming that Gandalf was probably at Frodo's...but what an urgent way to leave... She though for a moment of going up to Bag End and seeing if there was anything wrong. But afraid of sticking her nose where it didn't belong, Allegra continued on her way home. When she reached the hole in which she lived, she could already smell her mother's potato stew. She sighed as she entered.

"Oh, good, you're home," said her mother. "Can you set the table?"

"Sure," said Allegra, trying to sound cheerful. The same questions and the same answers every single day, without fail. Allegra wanted more than anything for things to change, and she didn't care how.

"How was work?" asked her mother, a note of annoyance in her voice. She did not want Allegra to be a blacksmith any more that Allegra herself did. It also made the Burrows family look a little odd, which was most undesirable among Hobbits. Peony Burrows did not want her daughter to be the next Bilbo Baggins.

"Fine," she said through gritted teeth, trying to sound cheerful. "Same old same old."

"You should let me cut your hair, it looks awful with that burnt spot on the ends," said her mother. This made Allegra feel like crying again, but she fought the tears, as she was accustomed to do. "After dinner, maybe."

"Sure," sighed Allegra. "Actually, mum, I'm not hungry," Allegra said, her voice cracking as it had been doing all day. "I think I'll just go to sleep."

"Is there something wrong?" asked her mother.

"No, nothing," Allegra lied.

"Well if you're going to bed, let me cut your hair. Sit down in a chair and I'll find the scissors," she said, waving her hand jerkily towards one of the chairs as she bustled through the house trying to find a pair of scissors. Allegra slumped down into the chair and waited for her mother to come back. "Here we are. I can't cut your hair if you slump like that, you know," she said as Allegra sat up. Her mother snipped away, almost randomly. Clippings of charred hair fell into Allegra's lap and onto her shoulders. "There. That'll be easier for you at work, I daresay."

"Thank you," said Allegra as she got up and made her way down the hall into the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled faintly. Her hair barely touched her shoulders. Tears accidentally sprang forth from her eyes, and left a clean trail in the soot on her cheeks. She grabbed the washcloth in the basin and wrung it out. She scrubbed her face carefully and furiously, every inch of it. She dried her face off on the hand towel and looked in the mirror again. She smiled back at the Allegra before her father handed her the family business, though she was still crying.

She padded down the hall and into her room where she undressed and put on her fresh clean nightgown. She slipped under the bedclothes and dried her eyes, trying to concentrate on the soft cool sheets rather than the ringing in her ears as she drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow, she would resign from being a blacksmith. No more burnt hair and horse shoe making. She couldn't go back. As much as she loathed throwing in the towel, she knew that it had to be done. Simply the thought of never going near that grate or the anvil again seemed to lift a great weight off Allegra's chest. She felt better already.


	2. Unusual Feelings

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Two: Unusual Feelings

Disclaimer_: Again, I own nothing but my characters! Don't sue! Ahem....all right, chapter two. FINALLY it get's a little interesting...._

Allegra's eyes fluttered open to the sound of a sharp tapping at her window. She groaned and looked at the clock. The hands read seven o' clock. She turned back around to see Merry and Pippin making funny faces against the window. She smiled and waved at them. They gestured to her to come outside. She held up a finger, telling them silently that she'd be right there. She felt totally rested and energized. She listened for the ringing in her ears, but heard nothing. She had to try her best not to laugh out loud with joy.

She got out of bed and listened for her parents. Both of them being late risers, who were rarely seen out of bed until at least nine or ten, could be heard snoring in their bedroom. She tiptoed out the back door singing a song to herself where she found Merry and Pippin. Pippin had in his arms a bundle of his own clothing, which he brought for Allegra to wear. He had brought a white shirt, a dark green vest, a pair of light brown trousers, and a dark brown (nearly black) coat.

"I haven't seen you smile in a long time," observed Pippin as Allegra grabbed the clothing from him.

"I feel better than I have in a whole month," said Allegra with a brilliant smile.

"Are you ready for some fresh vegetables?" said Merry with his classic mischievous grin.

"I want to eat carrots and celery until I explode," Allegra answered. "Now turn around while I get dressed." Merry and Pippin turned their backs to her as she stripped down to her undergarments. The morning air was chilly on her bare skin. She quickly stuck her nightgown in a bush, out of sight. She slipped the pants on which ended below her knees. She threw the shirt over her shoulders and buttoned up the front of it. She did the same with the vest, and shimmied into the coat.

"Right, let's go," said Allegra. They walked quietly without talking until they were out of Hobbiton. They headed out towards Buckland, and when they felt comfortable talking without whispering, Pippin broke the silence.

"So why are you so happy?" he asked.

"Well, I came home last night, and figured out why I was miserable with my life. Nothing ever happens to me because I'm always locked up in that damned blacksmith," Allegra explained. "So when I get home today I'm going to quit."

"Who's the unemployed idiot now?" grinned Pippin.

"I am," sighed Allegra with a satisfied smile. "Me, me, me."

"So what are you going to do now?" asked Merry.

"I was thinking along the lines of resuming my position as a full time vandal with you guys," said Allegra.

"Good plan," said Pippin with a grin. "We aren't the same without you."

"Hey, did you do something to your hair?" asked Merry.

"My mom cut off the burnt part," said Allegra.

"It looks good," said Merry nodding with a look of approval.

"I looks like yours," said Allegra with a smirk.

"What was your father thinking, having you take over his job?" wondered Pippin.

"He never had a son to take over the family business, so I guess he thought I should do it. All of the men on my father's side have been blacksmiths. I don't know how they stand it. I hear ringing in my ears sometimes from pounding away at metal all day long," she said. "No wonder he wanted to give away his job."

"That alone would be enough for me to quit," said Merry.

"The word 'work' makes you want to quit, Merry," Allegra replied.

"You're right, it does," said Merry with a grin. "No wonder I haven't got a job." Allegra and Pippin laughed at him.

"Sorry about being so short with you guys for the past couple weeks," said Allegra.

"Oh, it's fine," said Pippin. "I'd be the same way if I was a blacksmith." They chatted the whole way until they got within about ten yards of Maggot's farm. They formulated their plan. They would first cut through the cornfield, get to the potatoes, lettuce, celery, and carrots, fill their pockets and cut back through the cornfield, hopefully unnoticed. They all took a deep breath and started out in the cornfield, tip toeing between the stalks, trying their best not to make them move. It took a whole twenty minutes to get to the other side. Laid out in front of them in rows were ripe heads of cabbage, celery stalks, and carrots practically popping out of the ground. Allegra sighed with hunger. She hadn't had any breakfast and it was almost time for her elevensie tea and scones (with butter and blackberry jam, of course.) They walked quietly in and out of the rows, stuffing their pockets until their jackets were bulky with vegetables. When they ran out of pockets, they filled their arms. Once while going back over the cabbage patch to check for any more ripe heads, Allegra and Pippin both reached for the same head of cabbage at the same time. Their hands touched for a second before they both recoiled. Pippin's cheeks turned pink.

"Oops," he said. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it...," said Allegra, feeling her cheeks getting a little rosy as well. She shook off the strange feeling she had just then and continued filling her arms with vegetables. Just as they were about to leave, who should come around the corner of the barn but Farmer Maggot, a scythe in his hands. Their mouths dropped in unison.

"You again!" cried Farmer Maggot. "You drop all of that!" The three thieves looked at each other for a moment and bolted into the cornfield, not wanting to give up such a good haul. "You come back here!" they heard Farmer Maggot's voice cry behind them. Allegra looked behind them and saw his scythe above the corn.

"Run faster!" she cried.

"It's kind of hard with all this corn in the way!" Merry said frustrated. They burst out of the corn stalks into the bare row that separated the cornfield into halves, and right into Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins.

"Hi, Sam," said Allegra, who had landed on top of him.

"Look, guys, it's Frodo!" cried Pippin.

"Hello, Frodo," said Merry.

"Get off him!" cried Sam knocking Allegra aside and throwing Pippin off Frodo. Sam helped Frodo to his feet and looked at all the vegetables on the ground.

"What's the meaning of this?" he asked.

"Wait until I get a hold of you three!" cried Maggot's voice angrily. Sam looked back at them.

"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" he cried.

"Come on," said Merry grabbing Sam's jacket and pulling him into the other half of the cornfield. Pippin pushed Frodo in as well and all five of them ran from Farmer Maggot's waving scythe.

"I don't know why he's so angry," said Merry.

"Probably for the bag of potatoes we stole last week. And the cabbages the week before that," Pippin pointed out.

"I know, Pippin, but what I'm saying is that he's clearly over reacting," said Merry. The cornfield ended abruptly, exposing a small cliff leading right down into the forest. Pippin stopped directly before the edge, swaying back and forth. Frodo, Merry and Allegra saw the ledge but couldn't save themselves in time. Sam wasn't looking where he was going and sent the five of them tumbling down the dirt cliff and onto a dirt road. They all landed piled on top of one another. Allegra's ankle hurt, which was trapped under Merry's back, who was trapped under Sam.

"Oh, that was close," said Pippin, who almost landed in a pile of dung on the side of the road.

"I think I've broken something," groaned Merry. He dislodged the carrot that was stabbing him in the back, and found that it was broken in half.

"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took," grumbled Sam.

"What? That was just a detour. A shortcut," said Merry.

"A shortcut to what?" asked Sam looking around him.

"Mushrooms!" cried Pippin, spotting a patch of them growing beside the road. Allegra sprang up, but was pushed down by Merry down onto Pippin. She got up finally joining Sam and Merry to gather the mushrooms. Pippin got to his feet after being pushed down by Sam and hurried over to the mushrooms as well. As they were stuffing as many as they could in their pockets, a harsh wind swept down the road giving Allegra goosebumps on her legs.

"I think we should get off the road," said Frodo.

"Why?" asked Allegra.

"Get off the road!" he shouted. "Quick!" They all got up and ran off the side of the road and hid under a great tree, whose roots had formed a sort of hollow.

"What's the matter?" Allegra asked.

"Shh!" Sam hissed. Allegra listened carefully and heard the approaching hoof falls of a horse. She heard it snort once before the rider jumped to the ground with a great _thump_, making Allegra jump. She heard the rider's armor clank together as it bent over the tree roots. If it were to look down it would see them. Allegra bit her lip as the thing starting to make a sort of sniffing noise. She felt the earth writhing beneath her feet. She looked down to see spiders, centipedes, and many other loathsome creatures climb out of the soil. Pippin covered her mouth with his hand as a spider began to crawl up her leg. Allegra wanted to shriek and kick it off of her. Pippin swatted the spider away and gave her a quick smile. Merry fingered the bag of mushrooms anxiously and flung it in the opposite direction. The thing heard it fall into the underbrush and moved quickly out of sight to investigate. The hobbits took the opportunity to run as far away from the black rider as possible. They ran through the underbrush of the woods until they were out of breath and tired. They came to the bottom of a hill and stopped to rest.

"What was that?" asked Merry.

"And what is going on?" sighed Pippin.

"That rider was looking for something. Or someone," said Merry. Frodo had a distant look in his eyes. "Frodo?"

"Sam and I have to leave the Shire. We must get to Bree," said Frodo.

"The Buckleberry Ferry," said Merry. "Follow me." Allegra knew that the Buckleberry Ferry was not anywhere near by, and that it would most likely take them until dark to reach it, maybe longer now that that black rider was out looking for them. They spent the rest of the day dashing behind trees, looking out for any sign of the rider. The sun had fallen behind the horizon hours earlier before Allegra could tell that they were near the Brandywine River. Just as they were nearly home free, a shriek and a horse's whinny broke the silence. Allegra jumped and ran as fast as she could out onto the road that lay behind the barrier of trees in front of them. Merry, Pippin and Sam followed, but Frodo was having a hard time getting past the rider, who was blocking his every escape route. Finally he got loose and ran out onto the road and headed for the Ferry. Allegra leaped onto the raft that was tied to a post on the dock. The others followed in the same fashion. When they turned around, they saw Frodo running as fast as he could with the black rider close behind him.

"Come on Frodo!" cried Merry.

"Hurry!" shouted Pippin.

"You can make it Frodo!" Allegra yelled, a horrible lump of anxiety forming in her throat. Frodo waved his arm, signaling Sam to untie the Ferry. It floated out into the river, further and further from the dock. When he was close enough, Frodo made a flying leap onto the Ferry and fell onto Sam and Pippin. They helped him up and looked back at the black rider, who's horse reared angrily and sped off up the road, followed by two more of them. Frodo breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright?" asked Allegra.

"I'm fine," said Frodo. "Where is the next stop?"

"The Brandywine Bridge. Twenty miles," said Merry.

"We're stuck on this raft all night long," sighed Allegra.

"Looks that way," said Sam. He finally got a chance to really look at Allegra, and raised one of his eyebrows. "Why're you dressed like that?"

"Because we were stealing vegetables, and everyone _knows _you can't steal vegetables in a dress and expect to get away with it," said Allegra. "So now I'm stuck in Pippin's clothes until we find a way back home."

"Who said anything about going home?" asked Pippin. "You saw those riders, they nearly killed us!"

"That doesn't mean that they'll stay around here," argued Allegra.

"They might be," said Pippin nervously.

"So where are we sleeping tonight, then? Not outside, I hope," said Allegra.

"Crick Hollow I suppose," said Merry. "It's big enough for the five of us. We can get a good night's sleep and figure out what we're going to do tomorrow."

"Good plan," said Pippin.

"So why is all this happening?" asked Allegra. Frodo sighed.

"When Bilbo left the Shire, he gave me everything. Bag End, all that was left of his treasure, every last bit of it. And he gave me his ring. After the party, Gandalf left the Shire as well, and when he came back last night, he told me that Bilbo's ring was the ring of power, and that Sam and I must take the ring to Mordor," Frodo explained.

"All that way by yourselves?" asked Allegra with concern in her voice. "Mordor is on the opposite side of Middle Earth! That's about as far away from the Shire as you can get!"

"Gandalf said he would meet us at an inn at Bree called The Prancing Pony," said Frodo.

"We can't just leave you out there, in the wilderness," said Allegra continued.

"That's right," agreed Merry. "We're coming with you."

"And after all, if you haven't got friends...what have you got?" added Pippin. Merry and Allegra nodded in agreement.

"You can't come," said Frodo.

"And why not?" asked Pippin.

"I don't want to put you in danger," Frodo replied with a sad tone to his voice.

"Don't worry so much about us, Frodo," said Allegra with a grin. "We'll survive."

"I hope so," said Frodo.

"That was downright ominous. I don't want to hear another word out of your mouth until you've found something happy to say," Allegra said. Frodo chuckled and grinned.

Almost three hours later, they reached the dock near the Brandywine Bridge. They tied the Ferry to the dock and trudged over the hilly landscape until they could see Brandy Hall, the large, spacious hobbit hole that Merry lived in in the background. In the direct foreground, there was a smaller hobbit hole. Crick Hollow. Merry opened the door, and showed the guests around. It was mostly made as a guest home, with four large beds, a lavatory with four bathtubs, and a kitchen and pantry in the corner. A few armchairs were situated in front of a fireplace with a kettle dangling in front for tea. Frodo and Sam lifted their packs off their backs and set them down inside the door and hung their cloaks on the hooks by the door. Allegra removed her jacket and vest and dropped them in a heap on the floor before jumping onto the nearest bed.

"Wow, these are comfortable," said Allegra.

"What do you say we figure out our road to Bree over some eggs and cooked mushrooms?" offered Merry getting out a frying pan from one of the cupboards.

"I'm starving," said Sam.

"Me too," said Pippin.

"Do you need help?" asked Allegra.

"No, I'll get it. So, how many eggs? Three each?" asked Merry. They all agreed on three eggs each, as Sam took it upon himself to build them a fire while they were waiting. He piled logs in the fireplace and took a match from his pocket. He piled dried grass around the base of the logs to get the fire going. He struck the match and lit the grass on fire. He blew on it for a while, and soon they had a roaring fire in the grate.

"Good going, Sam," said Frodo. Sam grinned and sat on the edge of one of the four beds. The eggs and mushrooms were coming along nicely, and when they were done, they all sat in the arm chairs to relax and have a good meal, except for Pippin who was made to sit on the floor as there were no more chairs left.

"Excellent eggs, Merry," said Allegra. "You're trying to make me jealous, aren't you?"

"It's not my fault if your cooking skills aren't up to snuff," said Merry through a mouthful of eggs. "Sort out your own problems." The hobbits laughed at him and almost forgot that there were terrible black demons looking for them.

"Have you two got a map?" asked Merry when he had finished his supper.

"We do," said Sam. "Give me a moment and I'll go get it." Sam got up and dug through his pack until he found a tied roll of parchment. He untied the knot and gave it to Merry.

"Alright, so we are about...here," he said pointing beside the small drawing of the Brandywine Bridge. "We need to get over here, to Bree. All we need do is to stay off the main road, but be following it still, and we should get to Bree by tomorrow, maybe, if we leave early enough."

"That's good enough for me," said Allegra. "But I'm quite exhausted from all this running from evil business, so I'm going to go to bed."

"Me too. We'll clean the dishes tomorrow," said Merry hopping up and claiming a bed. Sam and Frodo hurried over to separate beds, leaving Pippin alone in front of the fire with his mouth slightly ajar and his eyes drooping, half asleep and transfixed by the fires' flickering light. "Goodnight, Pippin," said Merry, blowing the lamp out quickly and getting under the sheets. Pippin turned around and saw that his four friends had robbed him of a place to sleep.

"Hey!" cried Pippin. "There are only four beds! Where am I supposed to sleep?"

"Well, we're probably going to be sleeping on the ground from now on anyway, so just think of this as getting an early start," said Sam shifting his weight on the mattress to get comfortable.

"Oh, come on guys, this is hardly fair!" said Pippin angrily. The boys pretended to be asleep while Pippin stood over them, scowling. "Some friends you are. I might as well sleep outside where those riders can get at me! Not that you lot would care." He was beginning to get on Allegra's nerves, so she did the only thing she could think of to shut him up.

"If you stop whining, Pippin, you can have the other side of my bed," said Allegra, wanting desperately to get some sleep. "I can't sleep with you carrying on like that, and chances are you'd be doing it all night." Pippin smiled at his sleepy-eyed friend before tip toeing over and getting under the blankets.

"Thanks, Allegra," he whispered.

"Fine," she muttered, half asleep. She felt Pippin shift his weight before his foot accidentally touched hers. Her eyes snapped open, and her foot recoiled as a reflex. This was the second time that day something like that had happened!

"Sorry again," he said, sounding embarrassed. Allegra didn't say anything. She watched the pulsing glow of the fire on the white washed walls for a moment or two, wondering why her stomach felt as if a thousand butterflies were flitting around inside.

"I wonder if my parents are worried that I'm gone," wondered Allegra aloud, trying to distract herself..

"Probably, they've always looked out for you," said Pippin.

"I suppose they have," she said with a small sigh. "Probably think I ran away, or something," she muttered. "Probably think I'm running away from being a Blacksmith. I could have done it, you know, if I would have just stuck it out."

"It isn't a contest," said Pippin softly. "They would understand."

"Think so?" asked Allegra with half a smile. Pippin nodded a little. "Yeah...well, I wanted to thank you for keeping me company in the forge. Even though all I did was bark mean things at you, I really did appreciate it." Pippin smiled slightly. There was a small pause that was nearly uncomfortable. "Do you know what I've wished for my whole life?" she asked to break the silence.

"What's that?" asked Pippin.

"An adventure," said Allegra, turning over to face him. He had a pleasant, sleepy smile on his face. "And I think I've finally been thrown into one."

"Let's just hope we all come back in one piece," he said. Allegra smiled back at him.

"Yeah. No missing limbs," said Allegra, making Pippin smile and chuckle a little bit.

"Would you both shut up?" hissed Merry angrily.

"Goodnight, Allegra," said Pippin in a low voice.

"G'night, Pippin," she said closing her eyes, hoping that she could get to sleep with that lingering fluttery feeling that she could not seem to get rid of.


	3. Bree

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Three: Bree

Disclaimer_: See previous chapters...._

Allegra woke up on her own, and found that something wasn't quite right. She lay there for a moment or two, letting her brain warm up, before she realized that there was someone very close to her, their face nuzzled in her hair and their hand draped over her side. At first she smiled to herself, liking the feeling of such closeness, but then she remembered who she was sharing her blanket with. Her stomach lurched. She turned her head so that she could see her sleeping companion. The shift caused him to wake up with a yawn.

"Hello," he said with a pleasant smile.

"What's wrong with this picture, Pippin?" asked Allegra almost sarcastically.

"Oh...," he said, his smile fading. He quickly scooted away, his cheeks reddening. "I'm sorry...I-I didn't...I was asleep...," he stammered as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. His shouldered arched a little and he hung his head.

"It's okay, I just...I'm not used to waking up with my best friend so close to me is all," she said clumsily.

"Neither am I," Pippin said with a small smile. There was a long silence in which the two of them avoided each other's gaze. "Are you angry?" asked Pippin quietly.

"No...not angry," said Allegra slowly. "Just...I don't know a word for it."

"I think I know what you mean," said Pippin, turning his head towards her and smiling gently. The butterflies were back, making Allegra even more uncomfortable. They sat in silence, waiting for the others to wake from then on.

When everyone was up, they had a late breakfast and packed their bags (Merry dug out three packs for Allegra, Pippin and himself) with food, water, teabags, and a few blankets each. Merry lent Pippin and Allegra cloaks, for the weather outside looked threatening. Each of them procrastination prone, they set out at about two in the afternoon. They found the main road and hiked out into the woods beside it. They started off at a good pace, until about three o' clock in the afternoon when the clouds began to downpour on them. Allegra was cold, wet, and frightened that the riders might descend on them at any moment. Her stomach was growling angrily at her. They hadn't stopped to eat since breakfast, and that was a good five hours ago. They traveled for a few hours, checked to see if they were going in the right direction, and then went back into the woods to hike again. Darkness had fallen around them at about seven o' clock that evening, and when they checked the road again, a city loomed out of the darkness, surrounded by a flimsy wooden gate.

"Is this Bree?" asked Allegra.

"Yes," said Merry. "Let's get inside before the wind and rain kills us." They slogged through the mud and rain up to the gate, where Frodo knocked on the door that had been set into it. An old man opened up a look out hole that was cut into the door, and looked down at them.

"We wish to stay at The Prancing Pony," Frodo said.

"Hobbits. Five Hobbits," said the gatekeeper. "What business have you in Bree?"

"Please let us in, our business is our own," said Frodo.

"Alright, I meant no offense," he said as he opened the door. "There's been talk of foul folk abroad. Can't be too careful." The gatekeeper bid them good night, and they hurried up the muddy road, dodging horses and men as they passed. Allegra smiled as they approached The Prancing Pony. Sam opened the heavy wooden doors, and the ripe scent of food and ale issued from the inn. They entered and lowered the hoods of their cloaks. They approached to counter, trying not to run into anybody, who took hardly any notice of their presence.

"Excuse me," said Frodo. The landlord looked down at them and smiled.

"Good evening little sirs. If you're in search of accommodations, we've got some lovely Hobbit sized rooms available," he said cheerfully.

"We're actually looking for Gandalf the Gray. Is he here?" asked Frodo.

"Gandalf…hmm," he muttered, looking as though he were trying to remember. "Oh yes! The elderly man, gray beard, pointy hat." He said with a nod. "Haven't seen him for at least six months." Frodo's face fell. "But I can tell him your here if he comes, Mister, er..."

"Underhill," said Frodo.

"Alright, then. Why don't you fellows have a seat, and I'll send someone round to fix you up some dinner," said the landlord pointing to an empty table in the pub area.

"Thank you," said Frodo. They relocated to the table where they all sat down. "I'm worried about Gandalf," Frodo told the others.

"Maybe he's just late," suggested Sam.

"I don't think so, Sam," said Frodo with a doubtful expression to match his tone of voice.

"Give him a chance to turn up," said Sam in his optimistic way. "Have a little faith, Mister Frodo." Frodo smiled weakly at Sam.

"Can I get you anything, masters?" asked a Hobbit with a quill and a piece of paper. They were glad to see that they weren't the only Hobbits in Bree.

"What have you got?" asked Pippin excitedly.

"I've got a menu, if you want to look it over," said the Hobbit.

"Let me see that," said Pippin, taking the menu from the Hobbit. He looked it over and came to a decision. "Alright, two cold chicken sandwiches, a large bowl of the soup, crackers, a bit of cheese, a loaf of bread, some butter, a little bit of strawberry jam (that's my favorite) some hashed browns, and two hard boiled eggs," he said in one breath. "What do you guys want?" he asked with a smile. The Hobbit was having a hard time writing Pippin's order down, and had to keep asking him to repeat everything. The rest of them ordered, their lists equally lengthy. The Hobbit finally got everything written down.

"You can also get some ale over at the bar, if you wish," said the Hobbit, leaving with their orders.

"People sure are nice here," said Pippin.

"Doesn't anyone here know I'm a girl?" asked Allegra, frustrated that people kept calling her 'sir,' 'fellow,' and 'master.'

"I don't think so," said Merry. "You don't look much like a girl with Pippin's clothes on and that haircut."

"And I thought there'd be a couple obvious giveaways...," muttered Allegra, annoyed.

"Don't worry about it," said Merry nonchalantly. Their food was brought to them with surprising efficiency. They went up to the bar, all except for Merry who was to guard their food, but not eat any of it except for his own. When they returned, Merry went to get beer. Allegra's jaw dropped when she saw Merry come back. In his hand was a huge mug of ale.

"What's that?" asked Pippin.

"This, my friend, is a pint," said Merry as he sat down.

"It comes in pints?" he asked.

"Mmm," Merry mumbled through a sip of beer as a yes.

"I'm getting one," said Pippin.

"But you've had a whole half already!" cried Sam. Pippin ignored Sam and hurried eagerly to the bar. Sam sighed and shook his head. His gaze traveled to the back of the inn. His face assumed a look of foreboding.

"That fellow in the corner's done nothin' but watch you since we came in here, Mr. Frodo," he said, pointing to the man in the corner. Allegra followed Sam's finger to the cloaked figure. She could not see his face under his dark gray hood. He sat there smoking a pipe, not even bothering to look away when they spotted him.

Soon, the landlord came by with a tray of food. Frodo stopped him and nodded to the man in the corner. "The man in the corner...who is he?" asked Frodo.

"He's one of them Rangers," said the landlord. "I don't know his right name, but everyone 'round here calls him Strider."

"Strider...," muttered Frodo. Allegra saw Frodo take out a gold ring, and start rolling it around in his fingers. Allegra watched him as he began to go into a kind of trance.

"Frodo?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face. He didn't notice at all. Allegra heard Pippin's voice above the other chatting patrons.

"Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins. Frodo Baggins, he's right over there. He's my second cousin, twice removed on his mother's side, and my third cousin, once removed on his father's side, if you follow me," Pippin was explaining to the men at the bar.

"Pippin!" cried Frodo, getting up and running over to the bar. He reached out to grab Pippin, and as he did, his foot slipped out from under him. He fell to the ground and as far as Allegra could see, he just...disappeared. She saw Strider get up quickly and walk over to the scene of panicking people.

"Frodo disappeared! It's the ring, I know it!" hissed Allegra. Merry, Sam, and Allegra got up and looked around for Frodo. Pippin joined them.

"Look!" cried Pippin. They saw Frodo being taken upstairs, kicking and flailing, by Strider.

"We have to get him back!" cried Sam. They ran towards the staircase, Merry taking candelabra with him and Pippin a chair. Allegra grabbed a frying pan, abandoned on a nearby table. They rushed up the stairs and burst into the room where Strider had taken Frodo. Strider drew his sword and stood in a fighting stance.

"Don't you hurt him!" growled Sam, putting up his fists. "Or I'll have you, Longshanks!"

"You have a stout heart, young Hobbit. But that will not save you in battle," said Strider putting his sword back into the sheath. "You cannot wait for the wizard any longer. They are coming." The Hobbits stared at Strider, not sure of whether to trust him or not.

"How can you be so sure of what follows us and whether Gandalf will come tonight or no?" asked Frodo.

"I know a great many things, Mr. Baggins," said Strider. "And I know what evil you carry with you."

"Why do you bother with us?" asked Frodo. "Why is it any business of yours?"

"I am a friend of Gandalf's. I know you mission, and I was asked by him to guide you," said Strider.

"We have maps," said Frodo stubbornly.

"You will not make it in the wilderness by yourselves," Strider assured them. "Maps aren't any use in the wild." The Hobbits huddled together for a moment.

"What are we going to do, then?" asked Sam to the others.

"We can't very well just walk out of this situation," said Allegra in a low voice. "Then we have no other choice than to trust him," sighed Frodo.

"I don't like the looks of him, Mister Frodo. I don't think it's wise to go trusting strange folk so easily," said Sam.

"What else can we do, Sam?" asked Frodo. Sam was at a loss for words. They turned around and Frodo nodded at Strider.

"Get some sleep, young Hobbits," Strider advised. "You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"How can we sleep with great black monsters after us?" muttered Allegra. Strider didn't notice.

"Excuse me for a moment," said Strider. "I need to see a man about a room." And with that he left.

"What an odd fellow," said Sam.

"To be sure," agreed Frodo. "But I do agree with him that we should all get some rest."

"I doubt I'll get any sleep tonight," said Allegra, removing her jacket and tossing it onto the floor. "If we're all to sleep in that bed, we'll be elbowing each other all night."

"I wouldn't say that," said Sam. "It'll fit all of us." They waited for Strider to come back before they climbed onto the bed and got under the covers.

"Where have you been?" asked Sam.

"Buying us time," said Strider.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sam sharply, but Strider would say no more. He situated a chair next to the window and stayed there all night, watching the street below. The heat from the fire was making Allegra feel sleepy. It took her a couple minutes to realize that she was sleeping next to Pippin for the second night in a row. _I shouldn't make a habit of this, people will start getting ideas, _she thought. She imagined for a brief moment what it might be like to consider Pippin in a romantic sense. She imagined herself holding hands with him, but as soon as she thought it, she wished she hadn't. He was her best friend, and a circumstance like that would be awkward to say the least. _I'll just play dumb. If he thinks about me like that, I'll simply pretend not to notice. There. Problem solved,_ she thought in a satisfied way. However, the image she had created in her mind of Pippin's fingers intertwined with hers would not leave her.

After Sam and Merry's first few snores, Pippin's foot touched hers, she pushed it away with a smile and a chuckle. She rolled over to face Pippin, who's eyes were half closed. He smiled a sleepy smile at her.

"Quit messing with my foot," she joked in barely whisper, trying to act like he was doing it just to bother her.

"Sure," he sighed. Allegra inched closer to him, curled up and closed her eyes, her face not two inches from his. Maybe it would not be such a bad thing being a little bit fond of Pippin. _Maybe you were always meant to see him in a different light. It's not a bad thing, you know. It's just...different. After all, things change, you can't expect them not to. You just weren't prepared to think this way about him. I mean, he's Pippin, after all. I wonder what he really thinks of me. It's probably something good. After all, he did spend a lot of time alone with me in the forge, and if he can think well of me there, then anything's possible, I suppose. But why Pippin? _Before she could come up with a logical answer to this question, sleep took her and she remembered naught of it in the morning..

Allegra jerked awake as a piercing, angry shriek filled her ears. In jerking awake, she'd knocked Pippin off the side of the bed. He clung to the blanket as he went down, dragging it with him. Allegra, who had her foot caught in the blanket, was pulled off the bed on top of him. Pippin groaned and rubbed the back of his head.

"Oops...," she said. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said. "Can you get off my leg, though?" Allegra got up quickly and sat back down on the bed. She heard the shriek again, just as Pippin climbed back on the bed.

"What are they?" asked Frodo.

"They were once men. Great kings. Long ago, Sauron gave to them nine rings to help govern the lands they ruled over. Blinded by their thirst for power, they took the rings without question. One by one, they slipped into darkness. They are the Nazgul. Ringwraiths. They are forever drawn to the One ring, and are bound to its will," Strider said.

"This adventure has gone awry already, and we're not even two days out," Allegra said in a tense voice.

"Get some rest, young Hobbits," said Strider. "You'll need it." Allegra didn't feel at all like sleeping. She put her hands behind her head and tried to relax. _How'd I get into this mess? I'm not brave enough to contend with faceless horrors. But then again, neither are Merry and Pippin. If we stick together, we might be able to pull through all of this. _She looked over at Pippin, who was fast asleep, and then to Merry. _Don't leave me up a river without a paddle, _she thought with a worried expression.

"Still awake?" asked Strider, looking over at Allegra. She shrugged.

"Can't sleep," she said with a sigh.

"Are you frightened?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "But I'll go on with it. It makes matters slightly better that my best friends a with me."

"Try to sleep," said Strider, ending their conversation abruptly. "We have a long journey ahead of us."

"How long? Do you think we'll be back in a couple of days? My parents will have both called search parties by now, I don't want to worry them anymore," Allegra told him.

"It will probably be a couple of days until our next rest stop," said Strider. Allegra cast her eyes downward in disappointment.

"They'll be so mad at me," she muttered.

"If I were you, I would worry more about the fate of that trinket in Frodo's pocket. If it is not destroyed soon, there will be no home to go back to," Strider said. "Good night, Allegra." Allegra said no more, but turned over and tried her best to fall asleep. She was now beginning to realize how much danger she had bumped into by chance.


	4. Confessions in Rivendell

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Four: Confessions in Rivendell

Disclaimer_: You know the drill...._

Author's Note: _I am absolutely appalled at how many words were misspelled in this story! And I posted it that way before, didn't I? Did I just not use spell check last time? WTF??? Anyway, sorry for the gross spelling, if any of you noticed before..._

Allegra didn't wake up that morning when Strider called for her to get ready. Nor did she wake when Sam shook her and said in a loud voice that it was time for breakfast. She woke up just as Strider picked her up to carry her on his shoulder.

"Ugh!" she cried. "What's going on? Put me down!" She squirmed in Strider's arms, causing him to nearly drop her. He finally got a good hold of her and set her down. "What was that for?"

"We thought you weren't going to wake," said Strider.

"What time is it?" asked Allegra.

"Nearly seven o' clock," said Strider.

"Well no wonder! I don't think I've ever gotten out of bed before eight!" said Allegra.

"Then I suggest you get used to it," said Strider. "We cannot afford to sleep in." Someone had already packed Allegra's bag, so she hoisted it onto her back and followed Strider and her friends out of the inn. Outside, a horse was tied to a lamp post with bedding, extra food, and a small bag of bandages should one of them get hurt, all tied to its back. Sam untied the horse and led him along with them as they exited the gates of Bree. They ventured off the road and into the wild, not lingering on the road for more than ten minutes.

"How do we really know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?" muttered Merry.

"And where's he taking us?" asked Sam.

"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. That is our road," said Strider.

"Did you hear that? We're going to Rivendell! We're going to see the Elves!" said Sam happily.

"Why so happy?" asked Allegra.

"Well I've never met an Elf before, but I've seen some from a ways away. I'd really like to see what they're like," said Sam.

"I've never seen one before, but I know a little bit of Elvish," said Allegra. "Gandalf taught me," she said quietly, wondering if Gandalf was all right.

"You'll have to teach Sam some Elvish before he bursts," said Frodo with a grin. Sam looked very excited.

"It's not that hard, really. It's all in the pronunciation," said Allegra. Around nine o' clock, Strider stopped to look around him, making sure that they were in the right place. The Hobbits began unpacking pots and pans to make breakfast with. Strider, hearing the noise, turned around.

"Gentlemen and lady," he said. "We do not stop until nightfall."

"But what about breakfast?" asked Pippin.

"You've already had it," said Strider.

"We've had one, yes. But what about second breakfast?" Pippin pointed out.

"You've all had first breakfast without me?" asked Allegra, slightly hurt.

"Sorry, we tried to wake you," said Sam. Strider didn't seem to hear Pippin, and walked on.

"I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip," said Merry.

"Well what about elevensies? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them...doesn't he?" asked Pippin, sounding distressed.

"I wouldn't count on it," said Merry. Just as he finished, an apple flew over a near by bush. Merry caught it and gave it to Pippin. He looked at it for a moment, when a second apple hit Pippin's temple. Allegra laughed at him. She picked up the apple from the ground, wiped the dirt on her jacket and walked on. It had a bruise where it had connected with Pippin's forehead, but she ate it nonetheless. _A pathetic first breakfast, if you ask me, but it's better than nothing, I suppose,_ Allegra thought as she finished the apple, core and all. Strider was quite rigid about what he had said earlier about not stopping, but he did give the Hobbits time to have a little lunch at about one o' clock. Allegra's legs were aching horribly from walking all day long, and she found herself lagging most of the time.

"Come on, Allegra, don't lag," called Strider from the front.

"Yes, sir," groaned Allegra sarcastically.

"If Sam can keep up, so can you," said Merry.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sam.

"Don't worry about it Sam. If it came out of Merry's mouth, it's instant nonsense," said Allegra trying to catch up.

"Not everything I say is nonsense," said Merry. She grinned and chuckled softly to herself. Allegra felt that she might fall over when Strider pointed up at a great ruin of a structure.

"The ruins of Amon Sùl," he said. "That is where we will stay tonight."

"So much for sleeping in beds," sighed Sam. They hiked up to the top of the stone ruins and found a shelf in the rock to camp. It felt good to sit down, and know that they wouldn't have to walk on until the morning.

"These are for you," said Strider, tossing each of them swords in hilts. Allegra unsheathed hers and examined it. She ran her thumb across the blade and accidentally cut herself.

"Oops," she muttered. Blood dripped off her thumb tip and onto the dusty stone.

"Do you need a bandage?" asked Strider.

"No, it's fine," said Allegra. Strider showed them how to strap on the hilts of the swords, and how to take the sword out when they needed it.

As night fell, the temperature dropped dramatically. Allegra could see her breath rise in a mist before her eyes. She wrapped her cloak around her tighter and drew her legs in closer to her body. No one talked very much, they were all cold and too busy wishing they had somewhere warm to go. Strider had gone to take a look around Amon Sùl, and some how or another, Frodo managed to fall asleep on the rock. Allegra stared at him jealously.

"Hey," said Merry approaching her. "Come over here, we're making supper."

"What about Frodo?" asked Allegra getting to her feet.

"Let him sleep," said Merry. "It's pure luck he fell asleep in the first place."

"I suppose so," said Allegra, following Merry over to a pile of sticks where Sam and Pippin were trying to get a fire going. They were holding matches under the sticks and thin logs, hoping that one would catch fire. "That's a good way to waste matches," Allegra pointed out.

"You try startin' a fire without any grass or paper," said Sam. Finally the log that Sam was holding his match under caught fire. "There!" he said. He set up a pan over it and got out some sausages and bacon. "These should make a nice supper," said Sam.

"Hold on a minute, I think I've got a few eggs, if they haven't cracked already," said Merry, rummaging around in his pack. "I guess I forgot them back at Crickhollow," said Merry coming up empty-handed.

"That's all right, I've got some tomatoes," said Pippin, getting up to fetch his bag.

"I haven't got much of anything with me. I'll contribute some other time," said Allegra. Pippin came back with the tomatoes and gave them to Sam for chopping. He sat back down closer to Allegra than he was before. She noticed this, but carried out her plan to act ignorant of all possible signs of affection.

"Come on, Pippin, you can't hold out forever," said Sam.

"What are you talking about?" cried Allegra, confused about what was going on.

"Oh, _nothing_," said Merry, looking right at Pippin. Pippin shook his head with pursed, white lips. Sam was laughing as he got out plates for each of them when the bacon, sausage and tomatoes were nearly done. He divided up the food between them and passed out forks. Just as they began to eat, Frodo was standing over them.

"What are you doing?!" he cried. They all paused, looking at him.

"Sausage, tomatoes, and nice crispy bacon," said Merry.

"We saved some for you, Mister Frodo," Sam said motioning to a plate that he had set aside for him.

"Put it out, you fools, put it out!" he shouted, stamping out the fire with his foot.

"Well that's nice! You got ash on my tomatoes!" cried Pippin. Frodo raced to the edge of the ledge they were perched on and looked down. The Hobbits abandoned their supper to join him. Allegra's breath caught in her throat when she saw three Ringwraiths drawing closer to Amon Sùl, cutting a trail through the ground fog. Frodo drew his sword.

"Go!" he cried. They followed Frodo up to what was left of the top of the short tower. They stood back to back in a circle, their swords ready, anxiously awaiting when the Nazgul would appear out of the darkness. They looked around frantically, wondering which direction they would come from. The first appeared through one of the broken doorways in front of Sam like a living shadow. The next in front of Frodo, and so on, until there were five wraiths baring down on them. Each of the Nazgul drew their swords and focused on Frodo, their main target.

"Back, you devils!" shouted Sam, attempting to fight one off. He was quickly thrown aside. Merry and Pippin looked at each other and held their swords up to fight, before being flung in opposite directions. Allegra looked up into the black voids under the hoods of the Nazgul, and though more afraid than she had ever been, she stood her ground. She made contact with one of their swords a few times before she was picked up by her hair and thrown hard into a wall. She couldn't move for a few seconds, and she felt incredibly dizzy. Her scalp ached something terrible, her fighting arm ached from the jarring vibration of her short sword fight, and she couldn't move without excruciating pain. She heard a horrible scream. _Frodo_, she thought. She tilted her head up so that she could see what was going on. Strider had come to help, fighting off the Nazgul with his sword and a torch. Eventually they fled, and Allegra was relieved.

"Frodo!" cried Sam's voice, echoing in Allegra's head. The painful screams continued.

"Is he going to die?" she heard Pippin's voice ask. A tear slid down Allegra's cold cheek. She could hardly bare the pain that coursed through her body.

"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade. This is beyond my skill. He must have Elvish treatment," said Strider.

"Oh no," she heard Pippin say. Allegra heard him run over to her. He bent down on one knee. "Allegra! Say something!" he cried, trying to turn her over.

"Ow!" she shrieked. Pippin recoiled and fell backwards, surprised to hear such an outburst. "No! stop! Don't touch there, it hurts!" Strider approached her and carefully lifted up her shirt to see how she was hurt. Black and purple bruises had blossomed all the way down her side. He put some light pressure on her ribcage. Alegra screamed. "Stop that, would you?" she cried.

"She's badly bruised," Strider said. "And she may have a broken rib or two. We have to get to Rivendell."

"We're six days from Rivendell!" cried Sam. "What if they don't make it?"

"Lets hope for the best, Master Samwise," said Strider, leading the Hobbits down Amon Sùl to where their pony, Bill was tied. Strider put Frodo on Bill's back and carried Allegra over his shoulder. Pippin watched Allegra lie over Strider's shoulder, groaning from pain, and bit his lip. He hated to see her like that.

The next day, Allegra was no better. The pain was so dreadful that it caused her to become sick. Frodo, however, seemed to be getting worse by the hour. Strider and Sam tried their best to treat his wound with _Athelas_, but nothing seemed to help him. None of them took hardly any rest or food, for most of their cares and worries were about Frodo.

During the third day out from Amon Sùl, she found that she could sit up on her own, but every time she did, her fractured ribs burned. Frodo's wound had closed up, leaving only a cold white mark in its place. The whites of his eyes had turned red and bloodshot. He made strange gasping noises every once and a while, and his skin had turned cold as ice.

"He's gone cold. What's the matter with him, Strider?" asked Sam.

"He's passing into their world. Soon he will become a Wraith like them," said Strider. Allegra felt awful that she should regain her health, no matter how slowly, while Frodo's condition only worsened. Strider boiled some _Athelas_ every night since Frodo's wound closed and bathed the white mark in the concoction. They kept him as warm as possible, giving up their cloaks to wrap around him.

On the fourth, and final day of their race to beat Frodo's illness, Allegra could walk a little ways, though only a few steps without toppling over. The company stopped to rest while Strider was out restocking his herb bag. When he came back, he was followed by an Elf riding a white horse. She dismounted and approached Frodo. She spoke to him in Elvish.

"Frodo...im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nin, tolo dan na ngalad," said the Elf. Allegra understood all of it. _Frodo, I am Arwen. I come to help you. Hear my voice and come back to the light._

"Who is she?" asked Merry.

"She's an elf," said Sam softly.

"He is fading, and he won't last. We need to get him to my father," said Arwen in the common tongue. "I've been looking for you for two days, and it is well that I've come upon you. There are five Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know." Then Strider spoke in Elvish.

"Dartho guin Beriain. Rych le ad tolthathon."

"Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im," said Arwen

"Andelu i ven," Strider replied.

"What are they saying?" asked Pippin.

"She's going to get Frodo to Rivendell on horseback, but Strider says the road is dangerous," said Allegra.

"Frodo fir. Ae athradon i hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon," said Arwen.

"Frodo is dying," Allegra translated. "If I get across the river, the power of my people will protect him."

"I do not fear them," Arwen said.

"Be iest lin," said Strider.

"As you wish," Allegra translated.

"Ride hard," Strider said, situating Frodo in the saddle. "And don't look back."

"Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" she whispered to her horse. The horse reared slightly, and ran off at a sprint.

"What are you doing?" cried Sam. "Those Wraiths are still out there!"

"She is the only chance he has," said Strider. They moved as fast as they could, following Arwen at a great distance. It took hours for them to arrive at Rivendell on foot. They crossed Loudwater and were greeted by two elves.

"Lady Arwen informed us that you would be coming," said one of them.

"Yes. One of the halflings needs medical attention," said Strider motioning to Allegra on Bill's back. "She is badly bruised and may have some broken bones."

"We will take care of her," said the Elf. He carefully lifted Allegra off the horse. Allegra gasped, wincing at the pain that surged through her body. As the Elf carried her up a long flight of stairs, Allegra fainted in pain.

When she awoke, morning light flooded the room. A fresh breeze ruffled Allegra's hair. She looked around and found that she was in a beautiful room. The bed was huge, especially for a Hobbit. It had a thick white spread that was softer than flannel. The bed was four posted with long light green hangings. The headboard was made entirely of living intertwined vines. There were pane-less windows that let the crisp October air flow freely into the room. Allegra felt better than she had in days. She found her bruises nearly gone, replaced by small nearly invisible discolored patches of skin. She saw Pippin asleep in a chair, his head and arms resting on the bedspread. Allegra grinned and got her foot out of the blankets. She pushed the side of Pippin's head with her foot. He groaned and his eyes opened, and Allegra chuckled at him.

"Hello," he said.

"Hi," replied Allegra with a smile.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Better, thanks," Allegra answered. "How long have you been here?"

"Oh, I dunno. Couple days, maybe," said Pippin.

"Days? How long have I been sleeping?" asked Allegra.

"Since we got here, I think," said Pippin.

"Yes, but when _was _that?" asked Allegra, irritated, trying to get him to answer her question correctly.

"Oh, three days ago," said Pippin.

"Three days?" muttered Allegra.

"You had me worried, you know," said Pippin.

"I'm sorry," said Allegra softly, flattered that he had stayed by her side for so long. _Friends! Only friends! You must remember that!_ She reminded herself firmly. Silence came over them. The tension was killing Allegra. _I have to ask what's going on. I've got to. I don't care if we're just friends, I want to know what's really happening!_ She thought. _But how to do it?_ "Look, Pippin...I have to talk to you about...something."

"Alright," said Pippin, shifting his weight and leaning forward, getting himself ready to listen.

"Um...," she said, feeling incredibly foolish. "Well, erm...alright, so we've been friends for as long as I can remember, right?"

"Yes?" said Pippin, totally unaware of where all this was leading.

"Right...But lately it's been...not the same," Allegra said, stumbling on her own words. "And...I don't know, I've just felt..."

"Like you shouldn't feel the way you feel because we've been friends for so long?" asked Pippin.

"Yeah, like that," said Allegra. "But at the same time, I don't mind...but I don't know...maybe I'm making this out to be more than it should."

"Maybe I am too," Pippin said. "I mean, look at me, I'm not following the rules at all..."

"What rules?" asked Allegra.

"The rules of courtship! First I'm supposed to ask your father for permission to court you, then I'm supposed to do things like bring you flowers or food, and-," Pippin rambled off.

"Maybe it's not all about 'supposed to'," said Allegra.

"Perhaps not," said Pippin with a little smile. Allegra's heart fluttered. _Such an adorable smile,_ she thought to herself. "So if we're not going to worry about supposed to, then what are we supposed to do?"

"I dunno," Allegra said with a smile. They chuckled at each other before the door opened and Gandalf entered.

"Ah, good. You're awake," said Gandalf.

"Gandalf!" cried Allegra. She began to get out of bed, making Gandalf chuckle.

"Rest, my dear Hobbit, rest!" he said.

"I was so worried about you when you weren't at Bree!" she said. He came over to the chair that Pippin was sitting in. Gandalf waved his hand, telling Pippin to get up. Pippin let Gandalf have his seat and started to walk out of the room. He turned around and waved a good-bye to Allegra, accidentally bumping into a small table with a basin and pitcher on it. The pitcher swayed and began to fall off the table. Luckily, Pippin caught it.

"That was close," he said with a sheepish grin, trying to put the pitcher back onto the table without looking. He missed the table by a good three inches and dropped it, shattering it upon the stone floor. He winced at the sound.

"Fool of a Took!" cried Gandalf. "Be gone before you break something else!" Pippin hurried out of the room, being careful of the broken glass. Gandalf sighed. "What's gotten into that one?" he asked Allegra.

"Who knows?" said Allegra simply, putting on a fake smile.

"Hmm," he muttered giving Allegra a suspicious glance and a half smile. "Are you forgetting to tell me something?"

"Something?" stammered Allegra, growing red in the face.

"Yes," he said with a nod.

"Like what?" asked Allegra innocently.

"I see the way that boy looks at you," he said.

"How's that?" asked Allegra.

"People only look at others that way for one reason," mumbled Gandalf in his usual way, raising an all-knowing eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" asked Allegra stupidly.

"He's in love with you," said Gandalf.

"Oh...Well I wouldn't go so far as to say _love_, exactly...maybe just _fond_ of...," Allegra suggested. Gandalf raised an eyebrow at her.

"Have I ever been wrong?" he asked.

"Not that I know of," Allegra said in an almost disappointed voice. Could it be even remotely possible that Pippin _loved_ her?

"He's looked at you that same way ever since the two of you were knee-high," said Gandalf. "It's just that until now, you haven't been looking for it."

"Maybe not," said Allegra. "I don't know what to do about it. I've never felt like this before, and I feel like I'm stumbling around in the dark."

"Most people do when it comes to love," Gandalf said, "But don't let that stop you," he said, ruffling her hair. She smiled at him.

"So why weren't you at The Prancing Pony?" she asked.

"I was slightly delayed," he said. "The better question would be what were _you_ doing at The Prancing Pony? It's no place for a young woman."

"I was with Merry and Pippin raiding Farmer Maggot's crops when we bumped into Frodo and Sam. Then the Ringwraiths started following us everywhere, and I just never went home," Allegra saw the stern look on Gandalf's face when she said 'raiding'.

"Hmm, I thought we'd talked about stealing things from poor old Farmer Maggot," Gandalf reminded her.

"We did talk about it," agreed Allegra.

"Then why, may I ask, did you do it?" asked Gandalf.

"It was a temporary bout of madness," said Allegra. "Brought on by being locked up in a forge for ten hours a day seven days a week."

"That was very foolish of your father to give you such a demanding job, especially when you haven't even come of age yet," agreed Gandalf. "I can't think of a more masculine job title, either," he mumbled. This made Allegra laugh. "Get some rest, and I'll think of what to do with you now that you're so far away from home."

"Alright," said Allegra.

"Good bye, Allegra," he said with a nod as he exited the room. She sighed as she lay back down.

"What have I got myself into?" she muttered.


	5. Mithfalien

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Five: Mithfalien

"How would I know such things?" she heard a new voice say. She sat up and saw an Elf maiden in the doorway. She was tall with fair skin, flowing auburn hair, and brilliant green eyes.

"Who are you?" asked Allegra.

"A nice way to greet the one who has eased your pain," she said.

"Oh...thank you," said Allegra.

"I am Mithfalien," she said. "Come, it is time for you to get dressed and get back to your companions."

"I thought I was supposed to be resting," said Allegra.

"You are rested enough. Come now, your friends are waiting." Allegra got up and followed Mithfalien down the hallway and into another room, just as beautifully furnished as the one she'd woken up in. There was a long wardrobe against the wall and a tall golden mirror against another. Mithfalien opened the wardrobe, and inside were several dresses, tiny compared to the rest, but equally elegant. "These were made for you at Lady Arwen's request."

"Will they fit?" asked Allegra feeling the fabric.

"I believe so. If they do not, it would be a terrible waste of fabric," said Mithfalien.

"I suppose it would be," agreed Allegra. "I really like this one," she said pointing to a white dress with a flowing train, no sleeves, and a low cut collar. Tiny pink flowers were embroidered all over it.

"Let me help you put it on," Mithfalien offered. She took the dress off the hanger and helped Allegra situate the dress so it sat right. She looked at herself in the mirror and found quite a different person than she had seen just a week ago in the waters of the Brandywine. Her hair had grown much longer and it shimmered in the sunlight. The dress flattered her slightly heavier set figure very well. Her skin seemed fairer, bringing the light brown freckles that flecked her cheeks stand out a little more. The scares on her arms had completely vanished. She looked down for the one on her foot and saw that it had dissapeared...along with all the hair on her feet.

"What have you done to my feet?" cried Allegra.

"Cleaned them, of course," said Mithfalien. "They were very dirty and they had hair on them."

"There's supposed to be hair there!" Allegra cried.

"Do all of your kind have hair on their feet?" asked Mithfalien.

"Yes!" said Allegra, exasperated.

"Ah. Well, I'm terribly sorry. It will grow back, I'd imagine," she said.

"You imagine or you know?" asked Allegra skeptically.

"I am almost positive," said Mithfalien. Allegra sighed.

"And why is my hair longer?" she asked.

"The oils we put in your hair has hastened the growth of it," said Mithfalien.

"Interesting," muttered Allegra.

"Shall I show you to your friends?" asked Mithfalien.

"Yes, please," said Allegra happily. Mithfalien lead her down to a courtyard where she found Sam, Merry, and Pippin. When they saw her, their jaws dropped in unison.

"You look like...like," stammered Sam with a red face.

"A woman," said Pippin.

"Yeah," agreed Merry, looking as though his eyes might pop right out of his head.

"Well that just happens to be what I am," Allegra pointed out.

"Yes but...but you're normally not this, erm...," Merry stuttered.

"Beautiful," muttered Pippin in an almost awe-stricken voice. Sam and Merry looked at him as if they thought him mad. Allegra's cheeks turned pink as she smiled.

"Th-thanks," she muttered. She never got any male attention. She looked behind her friends absent-mindedly and saw a familiar shape heading towards them.

"Hey, look, there's Frodo!" cried Allegra happily.

"Frodo!" Sam cried. They ran to Frodo, so happy to see that he was not dead. They laughed and exchanged hugs. Pippin threw his arm around Allegra and pressed her against him, both of them beaming at Frodo. Frodo cocked his head slightly at them.

"How long have I been asleep?" he asked with a laugh.

"Look," said Sam, pointing behind Frodo with a happy smile. Allegra was glad that Sam had distracted them. Frodo looked around, forgetting about what had just happened. There sat Bilbo Baggins on a bench under a tree. He had aged dramatically since the last time he was seen, but smiled happily as he always did when Frodo came over and gave him a hug. They both went off to chat, and the four companions were left alone to talk.

"What happened to your feet?" asked Merry.

"They," stammered Allegra with a fake smile and an irritated shrug, "removed the hair."

"_Why_?" asked Merry, looking disgusted.

"I don't know, she said she didn't know all Hobbits had hair on their feet," said Allegra.

"Course we all have hair on our feet," said Sam. "I can think of a Hobbit that didn't."

"I don't expect her to know instantly about our ways and all that, but she could have at least asked me before she went and ripped all my hair out," she grumbled.

"Is it going to grow back?" asked Pippin almost hopefully.

"I hope so, because it looks really strange without it," said Allegra looking down at her hairless feet. She covered them up with her dress. "So what have you three been up to these past three days?"

"Sam and I did a little exploring. Sam's mostly been watching over Frodo and Pippin's been making sure you're all right," said Merry. Allegra knew that he felt a little bit lonely lately. She decided to try and include him more to compensate.

"Everything's alright now, and we're all back together again," said Allegra. "We're a team, the five of us."

"Well mostly you three," said Sam. "There ain't a time I can think of when Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took weren't followed closely by Allegra Burrows." This made them smile and think back on the Shire, which wasn't so far away.

"I hope that one day we'll be able to go back to the Shire," said Pippin. "And one day things will go back to normal."

"I hope so too," said Merry.

"So you said you explored the grounds?" asked Allegra.

"Yes," said Sam. "They're really beautiful. Flawless gardening, I should like to know how they do it." Allegra smiled and laughed. Sam and Merry lead Pippin and Allegra around Rivendell, showing them all the most beautiful courtyards, gardens, and fountains.

"How long are we staying here?" wondered Allegra.

"I haven't heard, but I hope for at least a little while," said Sam. "All this moving about is making me tired."

"I have a feeling that there's going to be a lot more moving around to come, Sam," Allegra said darkly. "But, on a happier note, I'm feeling well enough to teach you some Elvish." Sam's face lit up and they all went back to Allegra's room. She found a quill, some ink, and a small roll of parchment. Merry and Pippin pulled up chairs to watch.

"Alright, so the first thing you need to know are the symbols," said Allegra writing them down carefully with their common speech equivalent on the side. "Oh, this dialect is called Quenya, if you were wondering. Now, it's important in Elvish to know how to pronounce the sounds. Some sounds are absent in Quenya that we use regularly. Most of the sounds made by the letter 'I' aren't used except for 'ee' like in Keri (that's my aunt's name.) There are marks you can put over vowels when you want their sounds to change, but that's for later. Anyway, 'qu' translates into 'kw', pronounced like 'queen.' Here, I'll just write all the rules on the side so you don't forget them," said Allegra, getting frustrated. She really wasn't a very good teacher.

"That's fine with me. I forget things easily," said Sam. Allegra took the time to write all the rules down, the markings to make the vowels change, and a few phrases. "How do I write my name?" asked Sam.

"Like this," said Allegra writing down Sam's name in the loopy symbols. She gave him the quill and he copied it. "That's really good!" said Allegra. "Now you can write in Elvish."

"That's terribly clever of you," said Mithfalien's voice. "Where did you learn Quenya?"

"Gandalf taught me. You have a knack for eavesdropping, don't you?" said Allegra in more of a teasing way than irritated.

"Can I help it if you talk at the top of your voice?" asked Mithfalien.

"Well you could keep walking," Allegra pointed out.

"I could have, it's true. However, I have no duties to carry out for a while yet," she explained as she came closer.

"That's tragic," muttered Allegra. "This is Mithfalien, guys."

"Hello," they said out of unison. Mithfalien nodded to them with a smile.

"This is Merry, Pippin, and Sam," said Allegra.

"Good evening," she said. She looked down at Merry, Pippin, and Sam's feet. She smiled. "Hobbits really do have hair on their feet."

"That's not funny!" cried Allegra. Mithfalien's smile broadened.

"I'll leave you now," she said, almost laughing. "I have nearly forgotten that I have to meet someone."

"You'd better leave," grumbled Allegra. "And no more eavesdropping!" she cried after her. Mithfalien did not answer as she left the room.

"You make friends wherever you go, don't you?" said Sam.

"I don't know about that, I haven't really been many places," said Allegra. "And plus, she's not really my friend. She's just...everywhere."

"Thanks for the Elvish, but I'm going to go find Frodo," said Sam.

"Alright. See you later, Sam," said Allegra. Merry and Pippin muttered their good-byes. Allegra sighed.

"It's strange isn't it?" asked Merry.

"What's strange?" asked Allegra.

"That we should just get caught up in all this ring business," he said. "That we should be stealing vegetables at the exact time that Frodo and Sam were leaving the Shire. And curiouser still, how the Ringwraiths managed to block our way home."

"Uncanny," muttered Allegra flatly. Gandalf entered the room, making his presence known with three swift knocks on the door jam with his staff.

"Hello," he said sitting down in Sam's old chair. "How are you feeling?" he asked Allegra.

"Good as new," she said.

"Good," said Gandalf with a nod. "I'm glad I caught you all here instead of having to hunt you down individually. At seven o' clock, Lord Elrond his holding a feast in Frodo's honor. It is almost mandatory that you attend."

"I wouldn't say no to a feast, I'm starving," said Pippin.

"You're always starving, Pippin," said Merry. Gandalf ignored him.

"Good. Then I'll see you all at seven. If you get lost, I'm sure you'll find someone to give you directions," said Gandalf getting up to leave.

"What time is it now?" asked Allegra.

"Five o' clock," said Gandalf as he left. "Plenty of time to get ready."

"I'm glad I have this dress so I don't have to go in your clothes," Allegra said to Pippin.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" he asked in an offended tone.

"Nothing, they're just not very feminine," she said.

"Actually, I beg to differ," teased Merry.

"My clothes aren't feminine!" cried Pippin. "And if they are, they're no different than yours!" he told Merry.

"I'm more masculine than you anyway," said Merry.

"You both act like girls, lets just leave it at that," said Allegra.

"Girls!" cried Merry. "I don't think so!"

"Well I do. It's from hanging around me all your lives," said Allegra.

"Not all my life, I'm nine years older than you," said Merry.

"Nine years, oooh! What a difference!" teased Allegra.

"I don't have to sit here and take this," joked Merry. Allegra laughed at him. "Come on, Pippin," he said pulling Pippin out of the room by his arm. This made Allegra laugh harder. They got up and left, Pippin blowing a raspberry at her through a laughing smile as they left. She stuck her tongue out at him and wiped her eyes.

"Couple of idiots...," she muttered. "Guess I'll get ready for dinner," she sighed. She looked at herself in the gold mirror on the wall. Her hair was just the same as when she'd looked at it last, and her dress needed no adjusting. "Well that was easy," she said to herself. She hopped onto the bed jumped on it for a little while, feeling awfully childish, but couldn't think of anything better to do.

"That puts unnecessary ware on the bed, you know."

"Back so soon?" asked Allegra. "A simple 'hello' would suffice, you know," she pointed out.

"I'll try that someday," said Mithfalien.

"So who did you have to meet? Where are they?" asked Allegra, trying to look around Mithfalien, but no one was there.

"Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood has come to Rivendell for the council tomorrow," said Mithfalien happily. "However, at the moment, he is detained."

"Doing what?" asked Allegra.

"Getting ready for the feast," said Mithfalien. "One cannot go to an Elven feast in their traveling clothes."

"I guess not," said Allegra. There was a small pause. "So why did you have to greet this Prince?"

"I've been waiting for two years to see him again," said Mithfalien.

"Ah," Allegra said with a nod. "_That_ kind of greeting."

"Indeed," she said. "I am very happy now that he is here."

"I'd like to meet this 'Legolas' of yours," said Allegra.

"You will. Tonight at the feast," said Mithfalien.

"How long have you two been together?" asked Allegra.

"Only one hundred seven years," said Mithfalien. "Someday, I would like to marry him, but I do not know if our families will permit it. We shall see."

"Maybe I'll be as lucky," said Allegra.

"You have eyes for someone?" she asked.

"No...well, sort of...He was the one that was at my bedside while I was asleep," said Allegra.

"I did not see him clearly," Mithfalien said, trying to think of which Hobbit sat with Allegra.

"He's got curly brown hair, he's a little bit taller than me...," said Allegra trying to jog Mithfalien's memory.

"That does not help," said Mithfalien.

"I guess it doesn't," laughed Allegra, noticing that all her friends had brown curly hair and were taller than her. She sighed. "Well, never mind, I'm sure he'll end up sitting next to me at dinner. He's not the brightest star in the sky, but he's charming in his own way. I kind of wish I would have noticed sooner. See, he's my best friend, and I guess we just sort of grew closer."

"I see," said Mithfalien. "I hope that you are together far into the future."

"I don't really know about that, I don't even know if this will last," Allegra said. "But it would be nice, I suppose...It's still weird looking at one of your best friends and seeing someone completely different than the week before."

"I understand. Come with me. There is enough time to find Legolas and get to the feast without being late," said Mithfalien

"Alright," said Allegra getting up from her seat on the edge of the bed. She followed Mithfalien across Rivendell to the other guest quarters. Dusk had fallen over Rivendell. Everything was covered in blue shadow. They walked down one of the corridors and stopped at a door. Mithfalien opened the door slowly without knocking. Allegra followed her into the room. A tall, slender figure rose from inspecting his baggage and came to greet them. He took Mithfalien's hands in his and brought them up to his mouth, giving her a soft kiss on the top of her hands. He greeted her in Elvish.

"Who is your companion?" he asked in the common tongue.

"This is Allegra. She is a Hobbit of the Shire," said Mithfalien.

"Good evening," he said. "I am Legolas of Mirkwood." Allegra nodded her head in respect.

"I have been given the duty of watching over her, and I have offered to escort her to the feast," Mithfalien continued. "Will you come as well?"

"Of course," said Legolas. As they walked out of Legolas's quarters, Allegra felt out of place walking behind the two of them. She could tell they had strong feelings for one another. It made her feel a little lonely.

They entered a great hall, a covered area with open areas that let in the almost chilly evening air. Allegra spotted Arwen at the head of the table next to who Allegra imagined to be her father, Elrond. There were many Elves, a few Men, and a small group of Dwarves. Despite their rough appearance, Allegra thought that she might like to meet a Dwarf, just to see what they were like. The table was filled with strange foods Allegra had never seen before on beautiful silver platters. Allegra found Strider and sat down next to him. Mithfalien and Legolas found seats on the opposite side of the table.

"How are you feeling?" asked Strider.

"Much better, thank you," Allegra replied.

"That's good to hear. Where are your friends?" he asked.

"I don't know, I came with Mithfalien and Legolas," Allegra explained. When the last few stragglers entered and were seated, Lord Elrond rose to give a speech. He opened his mouth to speak when the sound of running feet and panicked voices issued from the corridor outside the hall. Merry, Pippin, and Sam ran into the hall. They slowed down to a brisk walk when they saw most of the eyes in the hall on them. They sat down in the three empty seats beside Allegra and tried to control their heavy breathing. Elrond cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Thank you for attending," he said. "This feast is in honor of Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit of the Shire. He has traveled from his home with four of his friends and a great burden that has troubled the minds of all of us for some time. Tomorrow we will discuss the matter at hand, but for tonight please eat and rest." With that, he sat down and waved his hand towards the food on the table. Everyone put food on their plates and started to chat with the people near them.

"Where have you three been?" asked Allegra.

"We couldn't find the way here," said Merry.

"You could have asked for directions," said Allegra.

"We found it all right," said Sam.

"Men," Allegra muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Where were you?" asked Pippin.

"Talking with Mithfalien," said Allegra. She and her companions filled their plates with more food than most of the guests had helped themselves to. Allegra thought that she could see Pippin watching her out of the corner of her eye. She smiled to herself, but did not look over at him.

Allegra thought that the Elvish food was interesting, but by the end of the night, she was certain that she enjoyed Hobbit cuisine much better. Nine o' clock came and went. Many of the guests had retired, leaving the rest to chat idly with friends and acquaintances. Allegra, sleepy from her large meal, decided that she would follow suit and get back to her room.

An hour passed by slowly in Rivendell, during which most of its inhabitants fell softly to sleep. There were a select few, however, that could not find solace in slumber. Allegra sat up in her bed, unable to sleep. Not wanting to sleep. She was about to get out of bed to take a walk through the empty hallways when the door creaked open. Her stomach lurched in fear.

"Are you asleep?" Pippin's voice whispered. She heaved a sigh of relief, happy that it wasn't another horrible black monster coming to kill her in the night.

"No," said Allegra quietly.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Of course you can," Allegra said. She reached over on the bedside table and turned the little knob on the lamp, causing the dim light coming from the wick to intensify, throwing a bright, warm glow on the two hobbits. She could now see his face in the flickering light. He approached the bed and looked like he didn't know what to do. Allegra smiled at him and motioned for him to sit with her. He had to take a good hop at the bed to reach the top. He sat down and looked a little uneasy. "So," she said slowly. "Why did you come?"

"I just wanted to see you," he said. She smiled. "And I couldn't sleep."

"I can't sleep either. Thanks for thinking of me," she said.

"It's not a hard thing to do," said Pippin fondly.

"What makes it so easy to think about me? I'm not _that_ interesting, am I?" she asked.

"Sure you are! You're very clever, you know."

"Well, thanks," said Allegra with half a chuckle. _An interesting adjective_, she thought.

"I still feel like I'm going about this all wrong," he said. "What will your father say when we get back?"

"He'll probably fetch the pitch fork from the back garden and skewer you with it," she said as seriously as she could. A mortified expression took Pippin's face. "Kidding! I'm sure he cares more about me getting home than he does about that," said Allegra with a smile.

"I hope we get home," he said sadly.

"I think we will," Allegra said confidently. There was a lull in the conversation.

"May I ask you something?" Pippin asked her.

"Of course," Allegra replied.

"Is it alright if I touch you? I mean, not in a bad way, but maybe I could hold you sometimes....or something?" he asked. Allegra laughed at his lack of grace.

"I suppose you could," she said. "No harm in that. It's a little soon, though..."

"If I'm going too fast, I can slow down," Pippin offered quickly. "I promise."

"No, it's fine," she said.

"I'm sorry that I'm so bad at this," Pippin apologized.

"No need to be sorry. It isn't as if I know what I'm doing either," Allegra told him. He smiled and tried putting his arm around her. He moved his arm forward, then pulled away, and finally rested it around her shoulders. Allegra giggled at him as she laid her head on his shoulder. They sat there for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company.

"I'd better go," Pippin said finally.

"Alright," Allegra said, leaning forward to free his arm. He climbed off the bed and shuffled towards the door.

"Have a good sleep," he said, turning back. Allegra noticed that he was blushing furiously from their encounter.

"You too," Allegra told him.

"Good night," he said.

"'Night." Pippin slipped out the door and shut it quietly. Allegra squirmed under the blankets and blew out the lamp. She rolled over and drifted off into a very sound sleep, feeling very happy indeed.


	6. The Counsil

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Six: The Council

Allegra's eyes fluttered open to the sound of tip-toeing feet. She turned over to see who it was. To her surprise, it was Sam.

"Oh good, you're awake," he said. "Sorry to be in here so early, but I've been sent up here to tell you that breakfast is ready if you want it."

"'Course I want it, I'm starving," Allegra groaned as she hoisted herself out of bed. "Thanks Sam."

"Don't mention it," he said with half a grin. Sam left Allegra to herself.

"I guess I'd better get dressed, then," said Allegra, she thought aloud. She got up and hopped off the bed. She saw that another dress had already been laid out for her. This one was in two pieces. The first was a dress with no straps or sleeves. Around the top of it there was a forest green border of leaves and vines. The body of the dress was white, with the same border on the bottom. The second piece was a sort of short robe with long sleeves.

"This is nice," said Allegra with a nod. She pulled off her nightgown and gently slipped the dress down over her head. The dress completely covered her feet. _Good, now no one can see my poor bald feet..._she thought to herself. She pulled on the robe, whose sleeves were so long that only her finger tips stuck out the ends. She gazed at herself in the looking glass and was amazed to discover that her hair was not mussed from hours of sleeping on it. Nor did she feel the need for a bath. _These Elves have this stuff down to an art,_ she thought to herself in complete amazement. She strode out into the hall where a few Elves made their way to various locations. She looked in both directions and regretted that she hadn't paid more attention to the route in which Mithfalien took her to the dining hall. She retraced their steps as well as she could, but got lost a few times and had to ask for directions. The Elves that helped her were more than courteous. When at last she entered the hall, Sam, Merry and Pippin were the only ones seated at the long wooden table. They looked so small sitting in the vast room by themselves.

"Hello," she said in an almost sing-songy voice. Her friends muttered hellos. "Where's Frodo?" asked Allegra as she sat down next to Sam.

"Strider came in and took him away," he said.

"To where?" asked Allegra.

"I'm not sure, he didn't say," said Sam.

"Mithfalien spoke of a council that is being held today...you don't suppose Frodo's gone to it?" said Allegra.

"Could be. I'll bet it's about the Ring," said Sam. An Elf came around the corner with a tray of porridge for them. Sam thanked the Elf, then returned to the conversation.

"I thought it was going to be safe here," said Merry.

"It seems we can't be sure of anything lately," said Allegra, pouring milk into her porridge. "I mean, I was pretty sure that I would see my parents again within a couple of days, but it's been almost two weeks..." There was a note of sadness in her voice, her her friends could tell that she missed the Shire.

"We should find a way in," Pippin suggested between bites of porridge. "To this council thing."

"If I don't know what's going on, it's going to kill me," said Merry, pounding his fist lightly on the table.

"Me too," said Pippin, slamming down his spoon. There was a tiny pause.

"We don't even know where it is," Merry said as if he'd had an epiphany.

"Don't worry, I can find out," said Allegra with a sly smile.

"You don't think Mithfalien would tell you, do you?" asked Sam.

"She might, it's worth a try," said Allegra.

"Let's go ask then," said Sam. They all looked at each other with mischievous grins on their faces.

"After breakfast," said Pippin, breaking the short silence and taking up his spoon. The others muttered an agreement and continued to eat their porridge. After they were done, they covered as much ground as they could in search of Mithfalien. They searched the room in which Allegra was dressed the day before, they searched the area around Legolas's quarters, and they even tried the door to Legolas's quarters, which was locked. They looked down corridors and hallways. They glanced inside vacant rooms, but still she was no where to be found. When at last they gave up hope of ever finding her, a voice rang out in the corridor.

"Can I help you with something?" Mithfalien said. The Hobbits turned around and saw Mithfalien standing nonchalantly in the middle of the hall.

"You're very sneaky," Allegra said grudgingly.

"Perhaps," Mithfalien said thoughtfully. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"We need to get into the council," Merry said bluntly.

"Great, don't try to persuade her, Merry, it's alright," said Allegra sarcastically.

"You weren't invited to the council," Mithfalien pointed out.

"Yes, but Frodo was, and he's our friend," said Pippin.

"How can I look after him if I don't know where he is?" Sam grumbled. After a moment of thought, Mithfalien had made her decision.

"I will help you, but only this once," she said. "Follow me, I will take you to the council." They followed her out of doors and down several flagstone pathways and staircases. They cut through buildings and went across three bridges, under which small streams cascaded down to the river below. She led them into a rather large building, its purpose unknown to the Hobbits. She reached for the door on the opposite side and stopped. She turned to her small companions and looked each of them in the eye.

"Outside this door is where the council is taking place. Please be very careful to be absolutely silent. Should you be caught eavesdropping and you tell them who brought you here, I shall be very upset. You can be sure that if I am punished for this, pain will be inflicted upon each of you. I trust you with this. Do you understand?" said Mithfalien in a stern manner.

"Yes ma'am," they muttered.

"That is well. Goodbye for now, little Hobbits," she said as she turned and exited the building. The Hobbits were rather stunned at this display. They were not prepared to be threatened by an Elf, much less a female Elf. They faced the door and opened it as quietly as they could just enough for them to slip through it. Two great pillars held up the eve of the building. Merry hid behind one while Pippin and Allegra hid behind the other. Sam crouched down and looked on through the bushes that surrounded the council area. A few small steps lead down to a flagstone path. This ended in a paved, circular area, in the middle of which a small pillar-like platform was situated. Atop it were the Ring and several shards of metal. More shards littered the area around the platform. Chairs were arranged around the outside of this circular area in which sat a variety of peoples from Middle Earth. There were the Elves of course, a few Men, and the small group of Dwarves Allegra had spotted the night before. Allegra spotted Frodo sitting next to Gandalf on the very end. The Hobbits had apparently entered during a tense moment, for as soon as they were hidden and listening, Allegra could hear the sound of chair legs scraping and someone getting to their feet.

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!" she heard Legolas cry.

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it!" cried a new voice. Allegra peeked around the corner for a second and saw that it was one of the Dwarves. "I'll be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" This rather offensive remark sent everyone to their feet, arguing over the Ring. Allegra could hear the Elves and Dwarves above all the other voices, and reminded herself that the Elves and Dwarves had been at odds for centuries. A new, very familiar voice rang out above the din.

"I will take it!" Frodo cried. No one seemed to hear him. She heard him shout it a second time. The arguers calmed down and directed their attention to Frodo. "I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though...I'm afraid that I do not know the way."

"I will help you bare this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bare," said Gandalf in a sympathetic tone.

"If by my life or death, you have my sword," said Strider.

"And you have my bow," Legolas added.

"And _my_ axe!" growled the Dwarf who had caused the uproar. A new voice then spoke.

"You carry the fate of us all, little one," he said. "But if this is truly the will of the council, then Gondor will see it done."

"Oi!" cried Sam from his hiding place. He darted out and stood at Frodo's side. "Mr. Frodo's not goin' anywhere without me."

"Indeed it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a private council and you are not," said Elrond. Merry, Allegra and Pippin looked at each other.

"Hey!" cried Merry, running out from his spot behind the pillar. "We're coming too!" Pippin seized Allegra's hand and led her behind him as he hurried after Merry. Elrond looked surprised that there were more eavesdroppers than he had originally suspected. "You'd have to have to tie us up in a sack to get rid of us!"

"Besides, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission...quest...thing," said Pippin, puffing out his chest slightly, making an attempt to look tough.

"Well that rules you out, Pip," Merry teased. Pippin began to nod in agreement before what was said truly connected in his mind. Elrond looked down upon Allegra.

"You as well?" he asked with an amused expression.

"Well, someone's going to have to keep these two under control," said Allegra.

"We shall see," he said a little skeptically.

"Allegra has to come!" cried Merry.

"Yes, I'm not going anywhere without her!" agreed Pippin.

"She's about ten times more brave than Pippin anyway," Merry added. Pippin glared at Merry, who just grinned at him as if to say 'I was only joking.' Elrond looked amused.

"So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring," announced Elrond.

"Right," grinned Pippin happily. "Where are we going?"

"To Mordor, O Hobbit of Extraordinary Intelligence," Allegra told him in an exasperated voice with a small flourish.

"I knew that," said Pippin. Allegra looked at him skeptically. "I did!" After a few minutes, most of the council had filtered out of the courtyard, attending to personal business. Elrond pulled Allegra aside for a moment. He got down on one knee so he could be level with her.

"I have spoken with Gandalf, and we have agreed that you may come on this journey if that is your wish," he said. "Because you are so far from your home, there are not many alternatives. Gandalf believes that you would find some way of catching up, should they leave without you."

"That sounds about right," agreed Allegra.

"Know this: there is a high probability that the Fellowship may break due to casualties. You are up against seemingly impossible odds, and it would be nearly unrealistic to say that you all may live through this. I know how you feel about the young Took, and I do not wish to see you left behind because the one you love is slain in battle," he said. Allegra looked back at Pippin. She accidentally caught his eye, and he smiled and gave her a small wave. She returned the smile and nodded slightly. She had never even stopped to think that there was any possibility that he might someday not be around. _Pippin might die... _she thought. She fought the tears that threatened to spill from the rims of her eye lids. "A broken heart can be a destructive thing, Allegra," Elrond continued. "That is one of the only causes of Elvish deaths."

"I understand. But my decision remains. I feel that it is my duty to go. Why should I stay and be spared when my friends are sent to their doom?" she asked. She looked over at her chatting friends, patting each other on the back for a scheme well executed. She smiled out of fondness. "I would rather fight to the end with them than stay behind."

"You have a valiant spirit," Elrond said, "I do not doubt your strength. Especially since you have survived the Ringwraiths and traveled so far from your homeland in such a short amount of time." Allegra smiled, not being able to think of anything else to do. "Now, if I'm not mistaken, your friends anxiously await your return." Allegra smiled once more and headed back to her friends.

"What did he say?" asked Pippin.

"He and Gandalf talked it over, and they say I can go," said Allegra.

"Great!" said Pippin happily. "I heard my name in there. What did he say?"

"He said you're a fool of a Took, and that you should stay here," said Allegra.

"Oh, I believe that," he said rolling his eyes. "Come on, what did he say?"

"Nothing really important," Allegra lied.

"Well I hope you put in a good word for me, just the same," he said.

"I agreed that you should stay here," Allegra said with a grin.

"Hey, now!" he cried. "There's no way I'd be left here while _you_ go off on a journey."

"I can do whatever I want, Peregrin Took, and not even you can stop me," said Allegra.


	7. Trapped in Moria

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Seven: Trapped in Moria

The day went by smoothly. Pippin and Allegra spent more time together than they had the day before. As darkness started to fall over Rivendell, Allegra and Pippin went out of doors for a walk. They strolled through Rivendell, poking fun at each other and arguing over their petty differences. Allegra could hear voices not far ahead of them. They approached the voices carefully, trying not to disturb whomever they belonged to. Allegra recognized them. Mithfalien and Legolas. They spoke to each other in Elvish.

"What are they saying?" asked Pippin. Allegra listened. She heard Legolas speak first, his voice comforting yet melancholy. Mithfalien's voice was sad and worried.

"He says that he must leave her...but she says that he just arrived to Rivendell yesterday. He says.... he says that he will not be leaving for a while, and that she mustn't worry about him...She does not want him to go," she said. Allegra felt sad for the both of them. She listened again so she could translate for Pippin." He says he loves her and nothing will ever change that. She says that if he does not come back soon, she will come find him." Pippin looked sad as well.

"Come on. We shouldn't be listening in anymore," he whispered. He took Allegra's hand and led her away from them. "I think I'm lucky," he said when they were sure they were out of earshot of the Elves.

"How so?" she asked.

"Because you get to come with me," he said with a happy smile. She chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked hand in hand back to find out what the rest of their friends were doing. By the time they got back, however, they found that Merry, Sam, and Frodo were already asleep.

"Well, that's that, then," said Allegra when they were outside the room that Pippin shared with Merry.

"I'll see you in the morning," said Pippin. He kissed the top of her hand and grinned.

"You're not as suave as you think you are, Peregrin Took," said Allegra skeptically.

"Hey, I'm trying," he said. "That should count for something," She smiled at him.

"G'night," she said. He let go of her hand and she turned to leave. He turned the knob of the door and looked back at Allegra who was already a little ways down the hall.

Allegra shut the door of her room and turned up the lamp to let more light into the room. She changed into her nightgown and brushed her hair out. She braided it loosely and got into bed. As she reached over to turn down the lamp, she wished that Pippin were there with her.

The month of October slipped past them and faded into November, and yet the Fellowship still lingered in Rivendell. The days were growing colder, the weather more gloomy. The grey clouds passing lazily by had not succeeded in dampening Pippin and Allegra's spirits. Although they did not spend most nights sleeping 'next' to each other, their walks became longer and their talks sometimes lasted for hours. It was hard to tell sometimes by the way that they bickered that there was much of anything going on between them at all. By the middle of November, Mithfalien and Allegra had become closer. They usually played chess every other afternoon (Allegra lost constantly) unless Legolas stole Mithfalien away for the day.

By the middle of December, Allegra had met and chatted with a few of the Dwarves, finding them to be an interesting people, though a little rough around the edges. She had heard from Gandalf that they planned to depart from Rivendell in the afternoon of December the twenty-fifth. That left a little more than a week to say goodbye to her temporary home. She wondered more often what her family was doing back home in the Shire. She wrote many letters to them, which she discarded in the wastebasket shortly after writing each time.

December the twenty-fifth came too quickly for Allegra's liking. She packed her bag and changed back into Pippin's clothes. Despite Mithfalien wanting her to take some of her Elven dresses with her, Allegra declined. They would slow her down and she would never get to wear them. Mithfalien promised to keep them safe in Rivendell for when she came back. Before the Fellowship was about to leave, she helped Allegra cut her hair a little shorter and braid it.

"We shall meet again," said Mithfalien. "I'm sure of it."

"I think so too. But until then," said Allegra, embracing Mithfalien in a hug that would have looked comical to passerby. The top of Allegra's curly head only came up to Mithfalien's waist. Mithfalien smiled at her little companion.

"Go on, I hate good-byes," she said with a smile shooing Allegra away with her hand. Allegra chuckled and waved goodbye to Mithfalien. She joined her friends outside and followed them to where the Fellowship was gathering. The Elves said their good-byes and wished them good luck. Mithfalien came down and shared one last kiss with Legolas before they departed from Rivendell.

"It's strange that Lord Elrond let you come," said Gimli, the Dwarf that had offered Frodo his axe. Allegra had spoken with him on a few occasions, but did not know him very well at all.

"Why is that?" asked Allegra, taking no offense.

"You are a woman, are you not?" said Gimli.

"I am," Allegra said.

"Then why aren't you at home taking care of children?" asked Gimli.

"Well, for one thing, I have no children. Secondly, I'm not a sit at home woman," said Allegra.

"I have much to learn about you then," growled Gimli.

"Yes, you really should reconsider assuming things about people," said Allegra.

"Perhaps you're right," he said. "I should much like to see if you survive out in the wild."

"Well, don't you worry your pretty head about it," said Allegra with a grin. "I'll manage." Gimli snorted in frustration, as Dwarves sometimes do. Hardly a word was spoken for miles. Gandalf occasionally gave small speeches explaining the history of the land they traveled over, but aside from that, absolutely nothing. Allegra wondered how men could stand to not talk to each other for this long. The silence was itching to be broken, but she hadn't a thing in her head to say.

"So," she said slowly, trying to dig up something to say.

"So what?" asked Merry.

"Erm..." Allegra muttered. "Wait, I know this one..." Merry raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, I remember. Where are we going again?"

"Mordor," said Strider from the front.

"Well I know that, but we're stopping sometime in between...aren't we?" she said, afraid of the answer.

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it," said Strider.

"Oh, come on, now!" Allegra cried. "Don't any of you have anything to say? Or talk about?"

"It is amazing to me that no matter what race you're dealing with, women always have to talk," said Gimli. Legolas grinned and stifled a small laugh, though he looked as if he were trying his best to hold it back.

"What else would you do when there's silence?" asked Allegra feeling quite singled out.

"Not talk," said Gimli.

"Men are weird," sighed Allegra, giving up.

"Am I weird?" asked Pippin.

"Yes," said Allegra bluntly. Allegra gave up trying to make everyone talk during their journey, though she felt many times as if she were about to shout something random just to break the silence. The rest of the day went by and darkness fell. They set up camp, and when Allegra laid down, wrapped up in her thin blanket, she wished she were back in Rivendell.

The Fellowship traveled for days on end, going at a slower rate than they had when it was only the Hobbits and Strider (who's real name was Aragorn. Allegra was irritated that no one ever told her this.) They stopped earlier, and slept in later. They also stopped for two meals each day. Pippin and Allegra had no time to be alone.

They trekked across the land of Hollin for a week or so, the Misty Mountains constantly at their left. Allegra loved the scenery, but hated the aching feeling in her feet. They had been taking less breaks (Aragorn's brilliant idea, of course,) and had been making better time. The landscape began to get rockier as they neared the mountains. Patches of snow littered the ground, and a cold winter wind whipped through Allegra's hair making her eyes water and her nose run. Her lips were chapped and the flesh around her nose was dry. Had she known that she was going to be going on a journey, she would have packed her lip balm. Around mid-day, they found a rocky patch of land where they decided to stop. Sam got out his cooking ware and put the last of his sausages and bacon over the fire he made. Sam was becoming quite a skilled fire maker. Legolas kept watch with his keen Elf eyes, scanning the landscape for any possible enemies. Aragorn, Gimli, and Gandalf sat and smoked their pipe-weed and watched Merry, Pippin, and Allegra practice swordplay with Boromir. Frodo sat by and watched his friends, laughing at their antics. Both Pippin and Merry were showing great signs of improvement. Allegra on the other hand was a completely different story. She fought against Boromir like she was born with a sword in her hand.

"How are you doing that?" asked Boromir surprised. She was using all of his moves against him.

"I don't know, I saw you do it, so I just...did it," said Allegra.

"Extraordinary...oops!" he muttered as Merry charged him with his sword. Boromir deflected all of Merry's blows.

"Move you feet," called Aragorn from his seat. Merry nodded without looking over. Pippin joined in and moved his feet more than he had been.

"That's good, Pippin," said Merry.

"Thanks," said Pippin with a grin. Boromir went to attack Pippin again and accidentally nicked Pippin with the flat of his sword. Pippin dropped his knife and shook his hand. "Ouch!" he yelped.

"That's not very nice!" cried Allegra with a fake look of anger on her face. Merry and Pippin dove onto Boromir shouting, "For the Shire!" Allegra laughed and tackled Boromir as well. They brought him to the ground, laughing. Allegra was becoming quite attached to Boromir (in a friendly sense only.) Frodo was laughing at them.

"You're all doing very well," said Boromir.

"Thanks," said Pippin and Merry.

"Especially you, Allegra. Truly amazing," he said. Allegra grinned.

"Thank you," she said. She picked up her knife and slid it back into its hilt before climbing the rocks to see what everyone else was doing. She sat down near Gandalf.

"If anyone were to ask my opinion, which I know they're _not,_" said Gimli in his pessimistic way.

"What's you're opinion, Gimli?" asked Allegra.

"I think we're going the long way 'round!" he answered. "Gandalf, we could go through the mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome."

"No, Gimli. I would not go through Moria unless I had no other choice," said Gandalf.

"Why, what's wrong with Moria?" asked Allegra.

"There's nothing _wrong_ with Moria," growled Gimli.

"Sorry," she said, feeling that it was probably a mistake to anger a Dwarf.

"What's that?" wondered Boromir, staring off into the distance. A strange dark mass was moving towards them.

"Nothing, 'tis a wisp of cloud!" announced Gimli.

"It's moving too fast to be a cloud," said Gandalf. Legolas stared at it.

"Crebain! From Dunland!" he cried. Aragorn, realizing what it was turned to the Fellowship.

"Hide!" he cried. Everyone took cover between rocks and under bushes. Allegra dove into a crevice between two rocks and watched the sky as hundreds of ravens flew by, shrieking and squawking angrily. She wondered if Merry and Pippin were all right. She couldn't see them from where she was. The ravens circled once and finally, satisfied with what they did or did not see, they flew off in a southern direction. Everyone emerged from their hiding spots and looked at Gandalf as if to say 'now what?'

"The Eyes of Saruman...Our passage south is being watched," he said. "We must make for Caradhras." He looked up at the icy mountain that loomed above them. It looked dark and ominous despite the white snow that covered it. Nevertheless, they began their ascent immediately. They hiked up the mountain for days, sleeping little and taking few meals. On the second day, Frodo began to grow weak and once toppled over, rolling down the slope until Aragorn stopped him. Frodo got up and brushed himself off. He felt in his shirt for the Ring, but couldn't find it. Allegra spotted it in the snow, winking to them in the sunlight. Boromir stooped down and picked it up. Allegra watched Boromir stare at the Ring, dangling from a chain with his mouth ajar.

"To think that the fate of Middle Earth...depends on so small a thing," said Boromir quietly. He stared at the Ring for a while before Aragorn broke his daze.

"Boromir," he barked. "Give the Ring to Frodo." Boromir looked up, his jaw hanging slightly. He shook his head and smiled.

"Here," he said, giving it back to Frodo. "I care not." Allegra was frightened. She knew that Boromir wanted the Ring. Or rather the Ring wanted him.

The weather grew steadily worse as they neared Caradhras's peak. Snow fell down on them in sheets and gale force winds were intent on pushing them back from whence they came, but still the Fellowship trudged on through the deep snow. Legolas was fortunate. Being an Elf allowed him to walk on top of the snow rather than through it. Sometime during the day (Allegra could not tell what time, as the churning black clouds that hung overhead blocked out the sun completely) Legolas stopped to listen. On the wind, he could hear an evil voice echoing from a distant land.

"There is a fell voice upon the air!" he informed the Fellowship. Gandalf listened as well.

"It's Saruman!" he cried as the mountain shook, down to its very roots. Allegra tried to keep her balance, but could not. She toppled over into the snow and watched as boulders began raining down from the top of Caradhras. When the boulders passed, Gandalf regained composure and shouted to the wind something in a language Allegra could not understand. This time, she could hear the evil voice of Saruman, chanting in the same language. A bolt of lightning struck a cliff above, sending snow and large rocks down towards them. Aragorn pushed Allegra against the wall of the mountain. She looked up and saw a wall of white cascading down towards her. She had no time to cry out before she was buried over her head in snow. She tried to breathe but could not. She couldn't hear anything. Snow was packed into every orifice. Allegra began to panic. She squirmed around in her cold white grave until one of her arms was free. She waved it in the air and a large hand seized it. She was yanked out of the snow by her arm. Boromir set her down and brushed her off, an expression of concern washing over his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Allegra coughed and sputtered, spitting slushy snow nearby. She twisted a finger in her ear until the snow inside melted away. Her hair was wet and matted with ice.

"Not really," she said, her teeth chattering.

"Gandalf, we must go back!" shouted Aragorn through the wind.

"No!" cried Gandalf.

"If we cannot go over the mountain, let us go under it!" Gimli suggested. "Let us make for the mines of Moria!" Gandalf looked helpless, something Allegra never wanted to see from Gandalf.

"Let the Ring barer decide," said Gandalf. They all looked at Frodo, who felt very much put on the spot. Being cold, tired, and wet, Frodo sighed.

"We will go through the mines," he said.

"Very well," said Gandalf. They trekked as fast as their cold, shivering legs could carry them down the mountain, which only took them two days. The snow faded as they reached the base, and Allegra finally felt dry. Warmth crept back to her body and she was happier. Though now that the feeling in her lips and nose came back, she discovered that her lip was cut and bleeding. That night they made a fire and ate a bigger meal than they had had all week.

"You're holding up well, Allegra," said Gimli.

"Thanks," said Allegra through some _Lambas_ that she'd pulled out of her pack.

"I doubt if any woman I have ever met could use a sword and climb mountains," he said.

"I was a blacksmith for several years, you know," said Allegra. "My dad made me do it. I haven't really had a chance to learn anything about being a woman. I can't cook and I don't clean. I'm not really sure if I have any maternal instincts, either." Gimli laughed and grinned.

" A blacksmith! You're full of interesting surprises!" said Gimli.

The next day they hiked along the mountain's base. By nightfall they reached a vast wall, which was actually a cliff face to their left. To their right was a body of water too small to be a lake, but too big to be a pond. Its waters were dark and murky. Fallen logs and slimy bits of plant life littered the surface. The banks were gravely and rocky which was not at all comfortable to tread on for the Hobbits.

"The walls of Moria," said Gimli almost in awe as he gazed up at the cliff face.

"Massive," murmured Allegra.

"This is the Western Wall of Moria," Gimli said to Allegra, who he felt was the only one in the Fellowship that really paid any attention to him. "The Doors should be close," said Gimli. "They are hidden, you know. When shut, they are not meant to be seen."

"But they were not made to be a secret only known to the Dwarves," said Gandalf looking skyward. The gray clouds that were blocking out the light of the moon parted. The wall of Moria was bathed in a bluish-white glow. "Look now!" said Gandalf pointing at the rock with his staff. The outline of a door caught the moonlight, which made it glow gold. Thin, golden lines traced over the rock, reveling Elvish text, two trees surrounding a pair of pillars, a crown with seven stars above it, an anvil and hammer, a large star near the middle, and the Elvish run for 'D'.

"There are the emblems of Durin!" said Gimli.

"And there is the tree of the High Elves!" cried Legolas.

"And the Star of the House of Feanor," said Gandalf. "It is made of _ithildin_, which mirrors starlight and moonlight. It is lucky we have arrived on a relatively clear night."

"It looks hardly like a door," said Merry skeptically. "It still looks like part of the cliff to me."

"What does the writing say?" asked Frodo.

"It says _The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend, and enter,_" said Gandalf, following along with his staff.

"What do you suppose that means?" asked Merry.

"It's obvious," said Gandalf. "If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." He pressed his staff against the Star of the House of Feanor and spoke in a commanding voice, "_Annon edhellen edro hi ammen! Fennas nogothrin, lasto beth lammen!_" The doors did not budge. Gandalf tried several more incantations in Elvish, sometimes mixing the same phrases up. "_Edro!_" he said. Allegra recognized this word as 'open,' but still nothing happened. He finally resorted to pushing on the doors with his shoulder, but as the doors were made of stone, they did not give. Allegra, Merry, and Pippin sighed in unison and went to find something more exciting to do. After a while, Sam was made to let Bill the pony, their faithful, fearless beast of burden go. Aragorn helped Sam and Boromir lift their belongings off of Bill's back. Aragorn removed Bill's lead and swatted the pony's backside to get it going.

"Bye, Bill," sighed Sam, unhappy to see his friend leave.

"The mines are no place for a pony. He'll find his way home, Sam," said Aragorn.

"I hope so, and that he doesn't run into wolves, or snakes," said Sam in a melancholy voice. Pippin and Merry picked up a few rocks and began to see how far they could throw them into the murky pond.

"You guys are going to get in trouble for making so much noise," said Allegra, who was sitting on a large rock, watching her two friends act like their normal, blockhead selves. Just then, Aragorn looked up. He walked over to them quickly and caught Pippin's arm before his threw another rock.

"Do not disturb the water," he warned. "There's no telling what may lay beneath the surface." Merry and Pippin looked at each other with frightened grimaces as Aragorn strode off. Allegra smirked at them and they sat down on either side of her with their hands stuffed firmly down inside their pockets.

"Wait," Allegra heard Frodo say behind them. Allegra turned to see what the matter was. "It's a riddle," he said. "Gandalf, what's the Elvish word for friend?"

"_Mellon_," Gandalf said. The outlines of the door shone brightly and the rock cracked open into two double doors.

"Good detective work, Frodo," said Merry. Frodo smiled weakly as he gazed into the thick darkness that seemed to be spilling out of the doorway. As they entered Moria, Gimli turned to Allegra and Legolas above all the rest.

"Soon, Master Elf and Miss Hobbit, you will experience the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, red meat right off the bone!" he announced. "This, my friends is the home of my cousin, Balin. And they call it a mine," he said with amusement. "A _mine_!"

"This is no mine....it's a tomb," Boromir muttered, looking about him. Allegra looked now around their feet and discovered the ground to be riddled with the decayed bodies of Dwarves.

"No...," Gimli muttered. "No!" he shouted in despair.

"Goblins!" Legolas observed as he picked up one of the arrows. He threw it away as quickly as he had snatched it up.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan," said Boromir. "We should have never come here." Just as they turned to leave, Frodo something grab him round the ankle, and he let out a cry of surprise. He was pulled onto his stomach and was dragged by a long, sickly green tentacle that was tipped with a three-fingered hand towards the water's edge. Sam drew his knife and cut at the tentacle shouting,

"Let go of him! Let him go!" He finally severed the tentacle, and the three-fingered hand let go of Frodo. As Sam helped him up, at least twenty more of the same slimy appendages flew out of the water, intent on seizing Frodo. Aragorn unsheathed his sword and cut madly at the tentacles. The water writhed, and out of it came the most monstrous looking water dwelling creature Allegra had ever laid eyes on. One of the monster's tentacles carried Frodo high into the air.

"Aragorn!" he cried out. The monster gazed up at Frodo hungrily and out of its head emerged a pair of snapping jaws.

"Frodo!" cried Allegra, her mouth ajar and her eyes wide. Legolas took aim, then, sending an arrow straight into the beast's ugly head. A horrible, unearthly sound issued from that terrible mouth and the creature dropped Frodo in surprise. Boromir caught him.

"Into the mines!" shouted Aragorn. The Fellowship ran towards the doors, looking back to see what the monster was going to do next. When it recovered from the shock of the arrow, it pulled itself onto the shore, angrily grasping the doorway, looking for his lost meal. With great strength, the beast pulled down the doorway, causing the stone above it to cave in as well. Allegra clapped her hands over her ears, shielding them from the great groaning and crumbling sounds the falling rock made. All was quiet, then, and all was dark. Allegra opened her eyes, but could not tell. Darkness pressed in around her, and she could not be sure if all of them were still accounted for.

"Is everyone alright?" she asked, her voice trembling. A light suddenly shone out of the darkness. The light that Gandalf's staff gave off now illuminated all the faces that were there before.

"Our passage is blocked," said Gandalf, looking back at the heap of rubble that blocked their exit. "We now have no choice but to face the long dark of Moria. Be on the look out. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world. Quietly, now! It is a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed." There was a long, steep staircase ahead of them, which Gandalf, to Allegra's great disappointment, began to climb. The others followed the light of Gandalf's staff, trying their best to avoid weak spots in the stone. Gimli walked up front with Gandalf, hoping to be of some assistance, but could offer none. Legolas looked about them constantly. After all, he would be the first one to spot any foes that might attack them in the dark. Sam made sure that Frodo made it up the stairs in one piece, and Merry and Allegra were doing the same for Pippin, who had a habit of nearly falling on top of them every couple of minutes. Both were getting rather annoyed with him and threatened to make him climb behind them so that he could not fall on them anymore. Pippin was more choosy about his foot and hand holds after that, for he did not want to be made to fall on top of Aragorn, who took up the rear and was most likely less tolerant of Hobbits raining down upon him than Merry and Allegra.

They walked for several hours, stopping once for food and drink, when Gandalf halted in front of three passageways. He examined each of the archways with a furrowed brow.

"I have no memory of this place," he said. "I am too weary to decide as of now, and I expect all of you are as well. We shall rest here until I remember." They sat down on a flat place below the three passages and brought out pipes.

"I'll bet there are loads of spiders in here," grumbled Allegra, disgusted.

"I wouldn't be so worried about spiders if I were you," said Boromir.

"Yeah, well...spiders make me scream like a girl," said Allegra.

"That's what you are," said Legolas.

"But it's embarrassing," Allegra protested.

"Merry," Pippin whispered.

"What?" asked Merry.

"I'm hungry," he replied.

"You're always hungry!" Merry accused, feeling miserably hungry himself. Pippin was not making the matter any better.

"What did they used to mine here?" asked Allegra.

"_Mithril, _mostly," said Gimli. "Gold, jewels. There's plenty of it down here, I'll tell you that." Allegra looked over at Pippin, who was smoking his pipe.

"What's so fun about smoking, anyway?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.

"It's relaxing!" Pippin cried defensively. "And look what you can do if you get really good at it..." He inhaled and a few seconds later, he exhaled a perfect smoke ring.

"What do I care about smoke rings?" Allegra asked.

"You should care," said Pippin with a teasing smile.

"Well, I don't." After a few more minutes of waiting in the dark, they finally heard some good news.

"Ah! It's that way," said Gandalf.

"He's remembered!" said Merry happily, putting away his smoking utensils and getting up.

"No," replied Gandalf as the company joined him at the three passageways. "The air down here doesn't smell as foul. Remember, Meriadoc, when in doubt, always follow your nose!"


	8. The Fall of Gandalf

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Eight: The Fall of Gandalf

As they continued through what seemed like in the dark a hallway, Gandalf held his staff to his other hand.

"Let me risk a little more light," he said, making the light on the end of his staff brighter. "Behold!" he announced. "The great realm of the Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf!" Numerous massive pillars that were carved in Dwarvish decorations extended from the floor to the high ceiling that was hidden in the shadows above. Allegra was speechless. Though much different from the Shire or Rivendell, Dwarrowdelf held its own beauty. She was sad that none still lived in such a fantastic place.

"There's an eye opener, make no mistake!" said Sam, gazing up at the pillars. There was light up ahead. Not that of fire, but that of the sun. Gandalf lead them into the room off to one side of the vast cavern-like place that the sunlight was coming from. It illuminated a great stone tomb. Engraved upon its surface were Dwarvish runes. Around the tomb, more skeletons of Dwarves long since dead lay, their jaws a-gape in eternal looks of horror. Gandalf read what was written on the tomb.

"Here lies Balin. Son of Fundin. He is dead, then. It is as I feared," he said sadly. Gimli dropped to his knees in front of the tomb and moaned in despair. He muttered a few words in Dwarvish, and put his head down on the stone, his helmet making a heavy _clunk_. Gandalf looked around the room and found a skeleton, a great book in its arms. He handed off his hat and staff to Pippin, who was looking around curiously. Gandalf picked up the book, making some of it fall apart onto the floor. He read the Dwarvish that was written there.

"They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums...drums in the deep. We cannot get out," he read. Allegra's skin prickled with gooseflesh. Pippin dropped Gandalf's hat on the dusty stone floor and made for a skeleton that was sitting on the side of a well with an arrow lodged in it's chest. He reached for the arrow. "A shadow moves in the dark." Allegra spotted Pippin and tried to make her way over to stop him from touching it. "We cannot get out.... they are coming." Allegra could not get there in time. Pippin twisted the arrow, making the skeleton's head fall off into the well. It's helmet banged noisily against stone. The rest of its body soon followed. Its foot caught on the chain of a small bucket, taking them both down with it. The whole thing made a great crashing noise that reverberated off the walls of the mine. Pippin winced after every bang and clank. Everyone looked at him in shock. When the echoes stopped, Gandalf closed the book with a snap.

"Fool of a Took!" he hissed. "Why not throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" He snatched his hat off the ground and his staff away from Pippin, who looked quite put out. He looked to Allegra for a comforting word, but only got a stern stare. From down inside the well, a sporadic beat of what were unmistakably drums could be heard. The Fellowship froze, staring at the well. The drums got louder and they looked around, not able to tell from which direction it was coming from.

"Frodo!" cried Sam, seeing the blade of Sting glow blue within its sheath.

"Orcs!" said Legolas, now able to hear them coming. Boromir made for the doorway. He looked around the corner, but came back in quickly, for he was nearly shot by Goblin arrows.

"They've got a cave troll," he said in a half frightened, half irritated tone of voice. He, Legolas, and Aragorn began to barricade the door with discarded axes and bits of wood. Gimli took up a dead Dwarf's axe and leaped up on Balin's tomb.

"Let them come!" he roared. "There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!" Allegra, Merry, Pippin, and Sam all drew their swords. Aragorn and Legolas both took aim at the door, which was slowly being hacked apart, with their bows. At first sight of Orc flesh, they fired with perfect marksmanship. The door was shoved open, and Orcs poured into the room. Everyone began to fight. Allegra was finally able to test out her skill with a sword. Many tried to attack her, but none got very close before she slew them. After the first few minutes of battle, the cave troll Boromir had spoken of burst through the doorway, crumbling the stones that made it up. It was fierce and angry. Sam stood before it in terror. The cave troll looked down at him and roared.

"Look out, Sam!" cried Allegra as she pushed an Orc off her knife's blade. The cave troll lunged at Sam, who dove between its legs at the same time. The cave troll killed many Orcs for them in its livid rampage. It had wrenched the chain that it was being held with out of the large Orc's hands. It flung the chain around, trying to hit Legolas with it. Legolas dodged its blows and took the chain, when wrapped around a pillar, and secured it there. He ran up the chain and jumped onto the cave troll's head. He fired a pair of arrows at point blank range through the cave troll's tough skin, possibly penetrating it's skull. The cave troll was enraged. It reached around for Legolas, who evaded capture by jumping to the ground. The cave troll searched for something new to attack. In the meantime, Sam was beating off Orcs with his frying pans.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this," he muttered to himself as he hit another Orc over the head. Most of the Orcs had fallen at this time, but the last few were badgering Boromir and Aragorn. Allegra heard the distinctive cry of Pippin above the rest of the noise. She looked behind her and saw the cave troll fishing around behind a pillar. He looked around on one side, and Allegra saw Frodo inch around the other side. They did this quite a few times before the cave troll found Frodo. Aragorn leaped in to protect Frodo with a great spear. He shoved it under the cave troll's rib cage and twisted it. The cave troll let out an angry roar and ripped the spear out of it's own body, flinging Aragorn against a wall and knocking him out. All Allegra could do was watch it happen. It lifted the spear and jabbed at Frodo with it.

"Frodo!" cried Allegra, but she couldn't move.

"Aragorn!" cried Frodo, trying to wake him up. "Aragorn!" The cave troll finally had Frodo sitting still. It brought the spear back and stabbed Frodo in the chest. He groaned and tried to breathe, but could not.

"No!" screamed Allegra. She ran over behind the cave troll, just as Merry and Pippin jumped on top of it, stabbing and slashing wherever they could. Allegra took a flying leap at the cave trolls back and stabbed it near the base of its leg. She pulled her knife out just before the cave troll turned around and knocked her aside. She skidded across the ground on her back, getting cut by chunks of rock and wood. Pippin saw this and became even angrier, stabbing furiously at the cave troll. Merry was flung off its back first, just before Legolas aimed his final shot. He fired, hitting the cave troll in the throat. It grunted and swayed in pain, feeling it's lip for a second before falling over on its stomach, sending Pippin flying. He recovered quickly and scrambled over to see if Allegra was hurt.

"Are you alright?" asked Pippin.

"Help me up," she said. Pippin took her hand and brought her to her feet. She winced, and could feel her back bleeding. "Where's Frodo?" they ran to the spot where Frodo lie motionless, propped up by Sam.

"Frodo? Frodo!" cried Sam helplessly. Pippin and Allegra were joined by Merry to watch the scene unfold. Aragorn, who had since come to, crawled over to Frodo.

"Oh no," he muttered. Boromir came to look on, Gandalf next to him. Frodo groaned and stirred in Sam's arms.

"He's alive," sighed Sam in relief. Aragorn let out half a laugh.

"I'm alright. I'm not hurt," said Frodo.

"You should be dead," said Aragorn with a grin of disbelief. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar!"

"I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye," said Gandalf suspiciously. Frodo unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt and showed the group his secret.

"_Mithril_," said Gimli, recognizing the white colored silver. "You are full of hidden surprises, Master Baggins!" Before the Fellowship could take a collective sigh of relief, more Orcs could be heard accumulating outside the room.

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dûm!" Gandalf commanded them, getting up and running out the opposite door. If front of them was the vast, pillar filled room from before. As they followed Gandalf across it, Allegra could hear Orcs coming from all sides. She looked up and saw them coming out of cracks in the ceiling like a great swarm of insects coming to feed upon them. They did not get far before Orcs, Goblins, and hideous mixtures of each had them completely surrounded. The Fellowship held up their weapons, but knew that they could not defeat such a great number by themselves. The Orcs and Goblins cackled at them and thrust their spears at them threateningly. Allegra felt Pippin's hand grasp hers. _This is the end...they're going to kill us all,_ Allegra thought, her mind and heart racing in fear. A faint roaring sound that vibrated through the stone floor silenced the Orcs. They looked down the wide corridor ahead and saw an orange glow making its way slowly towards them The Orcs and Goblins looked terrified, and retreated to the cracks and crevices to which they had first come out of. The Fellowship was left alone, curious as to what must have frightened so many Orcs.

"What is this new devilry?" wondered Boromir aloud. Gandalf looked exhausted and almost frightened.

"A Balrog has come," he said. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of !" he shouted. They ran down a passage that led off from Dwarrowdelf. There they were met with an abrupt flight of stairs with no railings. Boromir nearly fell off, but Legolas pulled him back from the edge. Gandalf brought up the rear as they ran down flight after flight of stairs.

"Lead them on, Aragorn. The bridge is near," Gandalf said, glancing quickly at the thin stone bridge ahead. "Do as I say! Swords are no more use here!" Suddenly, they came to a gap in the stairs where a large chunk had been knocked out. Legolas jumped neatly over the gap.

"Gandalf!" he called, holding out his arms to steady him. Gandalf jumped over and landed with ease.

"Merry, Pippin," said Boromir. He lifted them up as he jumped over. Boromir turned around. "Come, Allegra!" She bit her lip as she jumped as far as she could into Boromir's arms. He set her down next to Merry and Pippin.

"Sam," said Aragorn as he picked his up and threw him across to Boromir who set him down with the other Hobbits. Aragorn turned to Gimli, who held his hand up.

"Nobody tosses a Dwarf!" he growled. He hurled himself over the gap, but didn't make it all the way. He teetered; trying to catch his balance before Legolas grabbed his beard.

"Not the beard!" shouted Gimli as Legolas pulled him onto the staircase. The Balrog was following closely now. Allegra could feel each step it took under her feet. The vibrations were too much for the cavern. Two huge chunks of ceiling crashed down on the section of staircase that Aragorn and Frodo were left standing on. The gap was now far too big for anyone to jump over, and their exit was cut off behind them as well. Allegra heard the groan of stone against stone as the section of staircase began to give way beneath Aragorn and Frodo.

"Hang on!" Aragorn said to Frodo, bracing him by the shoulders. The staircase began to fall backwards. "Lean forward!" Aragorn instructed. They leaned all their weight forward, causing the staircase to shift towards the rest of the Fellowship. The two staircases met with a crash.

"Come on!" said Legolas, helping the two of them off the stairs just before it fell into the abyss below. They ran down the remaining flights of stairs and found themselves in front of a ridiculously thin bridge with no railings. Below it, as far as anyone could tell, there was nothing. It was just a black void that looked as if it had no bottom. Off to their right side was a large crevice in the stone that was spurting flames.

"Over the Bridge!" commanded Gandalf when he saw this. "Go!" In a single file line, the Fellowship ran across the Bridge. Allegra focused on what was ahead rather than below, and got across easily. Gandalf ran out onto the bridge and faced the foe in front of him, who had burst out of the crevice. It was hard to tell the beast's real shape, as smoke and flame surrounded it, but Allegra knew that this was the Balrog. It drew a fiery sword and whip and stared down Gandalf who had his staff and sword in front of him in a cross.

"Gandalf!" cried Frodo. Gandalf did not seem to hear.

"I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. Dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udûn!" he said to the Balrog. "Go back to the shadow!" he commanded. The Balrog cracked its whip menacingly and came closer to Gandalf, stepping onto the Bridge. "You shall not pass!" shouted Gandalf, raising his staff into the air and bringing it down upon the Bridge. Allegra heard the Bridge crack just before she saw it give way beneath the Balrog. It went down with a terrifying roar. Gandalf turned around to return to the Fellowship when the beast's great whip seized Gandalf by the ankle and drug him off his feet towards the edge. He caught himself at the edge of the Bridge and tried to heave himself up to safety. Allegra looked on, stunned as one of her oldest and best friends hung helplessly at the edge of a dark chasm.

"Gandalf!" screamed Frodo as he tried to run back to help Gandalf. Boromir held Frodo back.

"Fly, you fools!" said Gandalf just before he flung himself over the edge. Allegra's breath caught in her chest as the blackness of the void swallowed part of her heart.

"No!" screamed Frodo in agony. Boromir picked him up and carried him from the Bridge. Allegra could hear his screams, as she stood motionless, trying to grasp what had just happened.

"Aragorn!" cried Boromir to Aragorn, who hesitated, looking back at the Bridge. Aragorn finally ran to catch up with the rest of the group, picking up Allegra and carrying her away just before Goblins began to fire arrows at them. They ricocheted off the stone floor, nearly hitting the Fellowship. Aragorn lead them out into the light of Dimrill Dale. The air was fresh, but full of pain and sorrow. Aragorn set Allegra down where she collapsed. Her face bore a broken expression. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as Merry and Pippin came to mourn with her. Pippin held her close to him and it took her a moment to notice he was there. When she did, she buried her face in his chest and sobbed. Pippin's teardrops fell into Allegra's hair, and they cried together. After a short time, they sat in a small circle with Merry, their arms over each other's shoulders, sharing each other's pain.

"Legolas, get them up," Allegra heard Aragorn say.

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" cried Boromir.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs," said Aragorn. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Come Boromir, Legolas. Gimli, get them up." Legolas lifted Allegra onto her feet. Her knees shook horribly, and she had to lean on Pippin to stand up at all. "On your feet, Sam," said Aragorn, helping Sam to stand up. Aragorn looked to where Frodo was sitting alone. "Frodo!" he called, his voice echoing. Frodo looked at him with tears in his eyes and joined the Fellowship as they ran towards Lothlorien. All day they ran, the woods seeming so close at all times, yet they did not even get close until the sun began to sink over the Misty Mountains behind them. They took cover under the trees of Lothlorien, where they were finally allowed to walk.

"Stay close, young Hobbits!" hissed Gimli. "They say that a great sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell and are never seen again." Allegra wondered if this story was true (all things Gimli said seemed to be slightly far-fetched or exaggerated.) "Well here's one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!" An arrow was suddenly aimed at his head, and it was not Legolas's. "Ooh!" said Gimli in surprise. For each member of the Fellowship, there was at least two arrows pointed at them. Elven archers had surrounded them without their noticing. A particularly arrogant looking Elf stepped out from the archers.

"The Dwarf breaths so loud, we could have shot him in the dark," said the Elf.

"Haldir o Lorien. Henion aniron, boe ammen i dulu lîn. Boe ammen veriad lîn," said Aragorn in Elvish.

"Haldir of Lorien. We desire your help. We need your protection," Allegra translated without even thinking about it. The arrows aimed at her moved closer and she held up her hands.

"Aragorn...these woods are perilous...we should go back..." said Gimli in a frightened voice.

"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back. Come, she is waiting," said Haldir. The archers lowered their arrows and walked with Haldir and the group of intruders toward Lorien.

"Did they hurt you?" asked Pippin in a low voice.

"No, I'm fine," said Allegra. They were escorted to a part of the forest where the trees grew tall and thick. Built into the trees was a city, illuminated with blue lights. Flights of white stairs spiraled around the trees, leading up to the great city. There were some buildings and dwellings on the forest floor as well. Haldir lead them up one of the staircases that were lit every few feet with a blue lamp. Allegra admired the beauty of Lorien. It easily matched that of Rivendell. They finally reached a sort of platform, on which was an elegant building, wide stairs leading up to it. Two Elves stood at the top of these stairs, awaiting the Fellowship's arrival. They began to descend down the steps hand in hand. The woman could only be the Lady of the Wood, Galadriel that both Gimli and Haldir had spoken of. Her eyes were like deep pools, full of wisdom and nobility. They seemed to pierce through Allegra's flesh, and she shivered when Galadriel looked at her.

"Nine there are here, yet ten there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him," said the man next to her. Galadriel looked thoughtful for a moment, then very sad.

"He has fallen into shadow," she whispered. "The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail," she said. Galadriel looked at Allegra while speaking to the Fellowship. Words filled Allegra's head.

_"Welcome, Allegra of the Shire...,"_ she heard Galadriel's voice say._"You have come far, and are courageous. Much peril and sorrow lies ahead..."_ Allegra was frightened, and her expression showed it. When the voice in her head stopped, she listened to Galadriel's speaking voice again.

"Go now and rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight, you shall rest in peace," she said, excusing them to take some sleep. Allegra was depressed, and her legs ached from running. She hadn't noticed it until now. She was grateful that she could finally sleep, assured that they would not be attacked.

A/N: My spell check thoroughly hates Tolkien words...I think I'm going to need a new mouse after all this...o0


	9. The Breaking of the Fellowship

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Nine: The Breaking of the Fellowship

Down below the blue-lit trees, pillows and blankets had already been laid out for them. A tented pavilion had been set up as well, though there was only enough room for two or three under it. Allegra's nose had since stuffed up, and she felt a sore throat coming on.

"Oh, this is just grand," she said, her voice sounding a little nasally.

"What's the matter?" asked Merry.

"I'm getting sick," sighed Allegra.

"Well don't breathe on me. I don't want to be sick," said Merry.

"You're so very compassionate," said Allegra sarcastically.

"If you're sick, you should sleep," said Pippin.

"Yes, and that's what I plan to do," she said, laying down on two pillows and throwing a blanket over her. She fell into a restless slumber, full of odd dreams, as one often gets when under the weather. She woke up several times during the night, finding that her sore throat had worsened. To make matters worse, she had developed a hacking cough that seemed to rip through her sensitive throat. She tried her best to get back to sleep each time she woke up, but managed to get only five hours of sleep at the very most.

When she got up the next morning, she felt groggy, and there was a nasty taste in her mouth. She could barely get up before Pippin made her lay back down.

"Lay down! You look horrible," he said.

"Thanks, Pippin," Allegra grumbled, feeling slightly offended.

"I'll try to find something to make you feel better. Wait here," he said. Pippin felt that this was a good time to try to do something nice for her without messing things up. He knew he was already off to a bad start. Allegra watched him rush off in search of whatever it was he thought he was searching for. Everyone knew there was no cure for the common cold. Merry had woken up by that time, and grinned as he watched Pippin hurry away.

"What's the matter with you?" croaked Allegra, her voice horse.

"How long have you known?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?" asked Allegra, trying to play stupid.

"You know what I'm talking about," said Merry. "How long have you known how he feels about you?"

"I was afraid you'd ask me that," sighed Allegra. "I've known for sure since Rivendell, but I had an inkling when he started coming into the forge and visiting me," said Allegra then something stuck her. "Hey, how did _you_ know?"

"Pippin's been absolutely head over heels for you since the day he figured out what love was, and I ought to know, we're practically brothers," said Merry in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

"And why didn't I know about this?" asked Allegra.

"Because you're blind in one eye and you can't see out of the other. It was pretty hard not to notice," said Merry. "I think probably everyone knew but you."

"What do you mean by everyone?" asked Allegra, a knot forming in her stomach.

"Me, Sam, Frodo, all of our parents, some of our relatives," said Merry, counting off on his fingers.

"This is a conspiracy! Why anyone tell me?" asked Allegra in total shock.

"Because," said Merry in a soft, sincere voice, "Pippin said he wanted to tell you himself."

"I can't believe that you, Meriadoc Brandybuck, could keep a secret for that long," said Allegra. "I can't believe that everyone in the Shire could either..."

"I expect everyone thought you knew. But anyway, Pippin's my friend. I'd do the same for you, you know," said Merry.

"Well, thanks," said Allegra. "I'm really glad nothing has changed between the three of us."

"So am I. To tell you the truth, I almost hoped he _wouldn't _tell you in fear of our friendship crumbling," said Merry with a sheepish smile. There was a pause that had just begun to get uncomfortable when Merry broke the silence. "So when are you two gettin' married?" Allegra laughed, though her laughter was distorted by her illness.

"Merry, I'm twenty-seven. I don't even know if they'll let you get married until you come of age," Allegra said.

"So how many kids are you going to have? Huh? Where are you going to live?" asked Merry. "A nice, cozy hole with a white picket fence?"

"Alright, shut up. I may be sick, but I could still punch you on the nose from here," she said. Merry grinned and put up is hands in submission. Pippin came running back just then.

"Here, chew on this!" he cried, quite out of breath.

"Chew on it? What is it?" asked Allegra taking the thick, green leaf from his hands.

"The Elves," he panted, putting his hands on his knees for support while he tried to catch his breath. "The Elves," he began again, but could not finish. Pippin had attracted a few stares, including Gimli's.

"Hold your hands above your head, lad," said Gimli. "It helps when you're out of breath." Pippin held his arms up and breathed deeply. "There you go."

"Thuh, thuh," panted Pippin. "Thanks."

"Now," said Allegra, "The Elves what?"

"The Elves gave that to me. They said it would make you better," said Pippin. "You have to chew on it for one minute. They said it might taste a little bitter." Allegra sighed and stuck the leaf in her mouth and chewed. Eye watering sourness exploded on her tongue. "You can't spit it out, or it won't work!" Pippin warned. Allegra whipped the tears that were pouring down her face. Her mouth and throat felt like they were burning. She counted the seconds until she got to sixty. She spit the mutilated leaf into her hands and flung it away.

"That was the most foul thing I think I've ever put in my mouth!" cried Allegra angrily. Pippin looked startled. She then realized that her sore through, cough, headache, and tiredness were completely gone. "But I feel as good as new," she said in amazement. She looked up at Pippin. "Amazing. Thank you." Pippin smiled triumphantly.

"So I was just asking Allegra before you came along when the wedding's going to be," Merry said in a nonchalant voice.

"Merry!" cried Pippin. Merry laughed and dodged Pippin's fist that was going to connect with his shoulder. "How about I tell everyone who _you're _in love with? How would that be?"

"No, don't!" cried Merry, turning pale.

"The door swings both ways, Merry," said Pippin evilly.

"Please, Pippin, don't!" said Merry.

"Oh, come on, Merry, we're all friends here," said Allegra. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"I'll tell you later," mumbled Merry. Allegra eyed him suspiciously. The Fellowship lingered in Lorien for only three days. During that time, they caught up on their sleep and tried their best to mend their broken hearts before leaving again. Gandalf never left Allegra's troubled dreams, and she found herself fighting constant urges to cry. She knew that Gandalf would never approve of her wasting tears over him. As the time neared when they would have to leave Lorien, Allegra could always hear his voice, and she always expected to see him come round a corner. Much to her disappointment, this never did happen.

The day was February the sixteenth. The Fellowship would be departing from Lorien in the afternoon. They restocked their bags with food and water, and were told that the Lady Galadriel desired their audience before they left. They were escorted to a sweeping green lawn that overlooked the Great River. Galadriel stood there, tall and beautiful with several handmaidens at her side. The Fellowship formed a line in front of her.

"Before you part," said the Lady, "I wish to give you all gifts that might help you on your journey, as is the custom of our people when parting with friends." One of the handmaidens came forward and held out a dagger in a sheath. "This is for you, Aragorn, son of Arathorn. The blade will never grow dull, even in defeat." He took the knife with a bow. "And this, for you, Legolas of Mirkwood," she said handing him a beautiful bow and quiver.

"I thank you, Lady Galadriel," he said with a bow. Galadriel smiled warmly at him. She then presented two identical small knives, each in their own sheaths, to Merry and Pippin.

"May these help you on your journey," she told them. Pippin looked at his nervously. "Worry not, young Peregrin. You have much growing up yet to do, and a hand to lend in the fate of the world." Pippin smiled weakly. Allegra was next and wondered what Galadriel could possibly give her. A sword, not a long knife, was handed to Galadriel by one of the handmaidens. "This I give to you, Allegra of the Shire. The blade is made of our strongest metal." Galadriel gave Allegra the sword. She unsheathed it and her jaw dropped. Never had she seen a more beautiful sword. The blade was silver with an inscription in ancient Elvish Allegra could not read. The blade was thin and slightly curved near the top. The blade sank right into a mahogany handle, which was meant to be held by one hand. It was decorated in gold vines and leaves. The whole sword was longer than her old Elven knife by a good half a foot, and much lighter. She could tell she would be able to wield it easily. Allegra was speechless.

"Lady Galadriel, I cannot except such a gift! I would be far too reluctant to stain it!" cried Allegra.

"Do not worry. The blade will never stain, and never grow dull. This I promise," she said with laughing eyes.

"Thank you very much!" cried Allegra, stooping into a low bow. She put the sword bank in the sheath.

"To you, Samwise Gamgee, little gardener and lover of trees, I give you this," said Galadriel, holding out to Sam a plain box of ash colored wood. "Inside is soil from my orchard. It may not help you on your journey, or sustain you during difficult times, but keep it until you are home. If you sprinkle but a little over the ground, your garden will be the most beautiful in the Shire," she said. Sam took the box and opened it.

"Thank you, Lady," he said, bowing.

"And for you, Boromir of Gondor, I give you this. A belt, made of the finest leather in Lorien," she said, presenting Boromir a beautiful belt of gold leather.

"Many thanks, Lady Galadriel," he said, bowing his head.

"Gimli, son of Gloin. I would not want you to be the only one who leaves with no gift. What is it that you desire?" she asked Gimli.

"Nothing, my Lady. I need no gift," said Gimli in his gruff voice.

"Surely there is something?" Galadriel persisted.

"Well...maybe, something. I er...well I just," Gimli mumbled for a while before he actually said what he wanted. "Lady, I would like nothing more than I hair from your golden head, so that I might remember your kindness and your fair face." The Elves murmured to each other, surprised at the Dwarf's request. Galadriel plucked out three of her golden hairs and laid them in Gimli's outstretched had. He bowed low.

"Let none say again that the Dwarves are grasping and ungracious!" she announced to her people. "It is said that the skill of the Dwarves is in their hands and not their tongues, yet that is not true of Gimli. For none have ever made a request so bold and yet so courteous." Gimli smiled, happy that he was on Lady Galadriel's good side. "And now for you, Frodo Baggins," she said holding out a clear phial. It glittered in the sun, and Allegra could not be sure whether the light was reflecting off the glass, or coming from within. "In this phial is caught the light of Earendil, our most beloved star. May it be a light to you in dark places when all other lights go out." Frodo bowed. Before they left, they were each given a hooded cloak. Each was clasped with a leaf shaped brooch that was a brilliant green with silver veins. None of them could really tell what the color the cloaks were. As times they looked gray, and others they looked green. Sometimes they even looked like the leaves that littered the ground. Galadriel bade them a final farewell, and they loaded the Hobbits into the boats that Galadriel had provided for them with the bags and food. Merry and Pippin would be in one boat with Boromir, Frodo and Sam were with Aragorn, and Allegra was with Legolas and Gimli. Allegra was still marveling over the beauty of the sword.

"Now _that's_ a gift!" cried Merry. "Are you going to name it? Most Elven swords have names."

"Maybe I'll name it _Namárie_," said Allegra with a smirk.

"What's that mean?" asked Pippin.

"Farewell," said Allegra.

"That's clever," said Merry.

"Then that's what I'll call it," said Allegra. _With this sword I shall avenge the death of Gandalf,_ she thought to herself in a determined way, though it made her sad still to even think of Gandalf. When all the luggage was loaded into the boat, Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli and Legolas took their seats in the boats. Allegra's boat was a little cramped, but she figured that it would be more so if Gimli were the same size as Legolas. Legolas took up the ore, whose paddle was shaped like a leaf, and pushed off from the bank of the Great River. Galadriel and Celeborn followed them for a short distance in a magnificent boat in the shape of a swan. They waved their final good-byes before the water began to pick up a small amount of speed. The three boats traveled on for nine days, stopping for regular meals and usually before it got dark to set up camp. Allegra was finally getting used to the hardness of sleeping on the ground, though she could never get used to the disturbances from such intruders as spiders and other insects, equally loathsome, that found their way under her blanket every night. During that time, a few things happened. The first was thing they noticed was Gollum; the creature that had been following them since Moria. He was seen a few times clinging to a log as he drifted down river after them. The other was a magnificent sight to behold on the ninth day. Two massive sculptures of kings that rose hundreds of feet into the air supported the sides of two cliffs that loomed above them. They held their great hands out as if to tell them to turn around and go back. Allegra, though awed by the great statues, felt that this was rather ominous. She decided not to dwell on such dark thoughts. The statues marked the entrance of the territory of Parth Galen. The river widened into a lake where the current was not as strong. Ahead was a great waterfall, which was separated in half by a massive rock in the middle of the base of it. The Fellowship rowed to shore and brought the boats onto the riverbank a little so the light current would not sweep them away. They made a fire and settled into the campsite, awaiting their next order of business from Aragorn.

"We cross the lake at nightfall," said Aragorn. "We will hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north."

"Oh yes?" returned Gimli. "Just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassible labyrinth of razor sharp rocks. And after that, it gets even better!" said Gimli in his sarcastic way. Pippin looked up at him with a half-surprised half-frightened look upon his face. Allegra could not help but laugh at their misfortune, though she herself did not understand why. "Festering, stinking marshlands, far as the eye can see!" Gimli finished.

"That is our road," said Aragorn. "I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf."

"Recover my...uggh!" grumbled Gimli, who seemed offended that Aragorn would suggest such a thing.

"We should leave now," said Legolas, obviously feeling uneasy about lingering in one place for too long.

"No. Orcs patrol the Eastern Shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness," said Aragorn.

"It is not the Eastern Shore that worries me," said Legolas. "A shadow and a threat have been growing in my mind. Something draws near. I can feel it." Gimli was still grumbling about Aragorn's remark when Merry looked up.

"Where's Frodo?" he asked. Everyone looked around, but Frodo was gone. So was Boromir.

"Stay here. I will go and look for him. Legolas, be watchful. I fear something has gone terribly awry," said Aragorn, getting up from his seat and walking at a quick pace into the forest. A knot was beginning to form in Allegra's stomach. She felt exposed and unsafe. Aragorn was right. Something was not well. She wanted to draw her sword, but felt that it would be out of place to do so. Pippin caught her eye and they exchanged worried glances. Not five minutes afterwards, Legolas turned towards the forest.

"Urûk Hai! Come, the others may need help!" he cried, dashing off into the forest. The others followed him, Gimli and Allegra closest to the front. As they neared the ruins of some ancient structure, they saw Aragorn fighting off a large number of Urûk Hai by himself. Allegra drew _Namárie _and charged at the huge Orcs. She slew many, and like Galadriel said, the blade did not stain with the Orc's black blood. Legolas was a master with his new bow. His marksmanship was impeccable; he never missed a shot. Gimli fought with a little less grace, hacking off limbs and hewing heads when he got the chance. Allegra got the chance to look around for Merry, Pippin, and Sam, but they were nowhere to be seen. Allegra became very scared. This was one of the first times in her life when she had absolutely no idea of where they might be. Back home, she knew all the places where each of them could be. From there to Bree they were always with her. From Bree to Rivendell, she knew where they were. Now she couldn't even stop to look for them. If she turned her back, she would be killed. During the time that she hesitated to look around for her friends, an Orc took advantage of her carelessness and swung at her with his scimitar. Allegra was able to see him and dodge mostly out of the way, but she was no quick enough. The blade broke the skin on her shoulder, sending blood down her arm and sleeve. He swung at her again, and she dodged completely. She charged him angrily, piercing his stomach through his armor, killing him instantly. There was a break in which a new wave of Urûk Hai had not charged them yet. A horn blast could be heard over the pounding of Orc feet on the earth.

"The horn of Gondor!" cried Legolas. _Boromir_, thought Allegra, the knot in her stomach tightening painfully.

"Boromir!" cried Aragorn, speaking Allegra's thoughts. He ran off, following the Horn of Gondor. The fresh Orcs had come to them now, not nearly as large in number as the last. Legolas, Gimli, and Allegra fought them off, but did not get a chance to follow Aragorn's path. The cut on Allegra's arm burned horribly, but she fought them down to the last Orc. More came, but not before Allegra could follow in Aragorn's direction. She was afraid for Boromir and the rest of her friends. She dashed down into the more densely wooded area, where she found the ground littered with the bodies of Urûk Hai. Allegra looked around for Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, but she still could not see them. She found Aragorn, sitting on the ground with Boromir. Allegra was shocked to see three thick arrows protruding from his chest. Tears welled up in her eyes. She ran to him.

"They took the little ones!" cried Boromir, obviously in serious pain. He tried to get up, but Aragorn gently kept him down.

"Stay still," Aragorn warned him.

"Frodo...where is Frodo?" demanded Boromir, worried that Frodo was taken as well.

"I let Frodo go," replied Aragorn. Allegra looked at Aragorn with fearful eyes, which were glossy with tears.

"Then you did what I could not," said Boromir." I tried to take the Ring from him."

"The Ring is beyond our reach now," said Aragorn.

"Forgive me," said Boromir. "I did not see. I have failed you all."

"No, Boromir, don't say that!" cried Allegra, the tears now spilling down her cheeks. Boromir smiled and lifted a hand to touch her cheek affectionately.

"Allegra...you have become a great swordsman in an amount of time that no one I have known could have. You must save Merry and Pippin," he said. "Save them, for I could not. I have failed you most of all." He said to her. Allegra shook her head and held his hand against her cheek.

"No, Boromir. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor," said Aragorn. He reached for one of the arrows in Boromir's chest.

"Leave it," said Boromir. "It is over. The world of men will fall and all will come to darkness, and my city to ruin."

"I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you, I will not let the white city fall. Nor our people fail," promised Aragorn.

"Our people," said Boromir, happily. "Our people." Aragorn handed Boromir his sword. He took it and pressed it against his breast with a faint, shaky smile. "I would have followed you my brother...my captain," he said. "My King." Allegra shook with sadness, tears flowing freely down her face as Boromir's hand that had been at her cheek went slack, the muscles dead. Allegra took his hand and guided it to the forest floor. Her tears fell onto his palm, which Aragorn placed on top of his other hand that held his sword.

"Be at peace, son of Gondor," said Aragorn. He kissed Boromir's forehead before Legolas and Gimli approached the scene. Legolas came over to help Aragorn carry Boromir to the boats. They carefully removed the arrows and placed him with his shield and belongings into the boat. Allegra found a white flower growing by the riverbank. She plucked it and set it on his chest above his hands that gripped his sword valiantly even in death. She wiped the tears away and watched as Legolas and Aragorn pushed the funeral boat out into the water. Gimli patted Allegra on the shoulder for comfort as they watched Boromir approach the edge of the waterfall. A fresh wave of tears doused Allegra's cheeks as the boat fell out of sight. Legolas began to push one of the boats out into the water.

"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the Eastern Shore!" said Legolas. Allegra looked up and saw the last of Frodo and Sam hurrying up the opposite bank. She wanted to call out to them, but she knew that Frodo would not come back, even for her. He wanted to face this journey alone from the beginning. It was a bother to him that Sam, one of his most loyal friends, was appointed to accompany him. Allegra was not as surprised as she thought that she should be that he was escaping to Mordor with Sam and no one else. Aragorn did not move from his spot. Legolas looked back at him.

"You mean not to follow them...," he said.

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands," said Aragorn.

"Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship has failed," said Gimli.

"Not if we still hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we still have strength left," said Aragorn.

"I would rather die than to see my two very best friends be ripped to pieces by Orcs!" said Allegra angrily. Aragorn smiled at her determinedness.

"Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light," he said. Allegra took her _lambas_ bread and her canteen of water and shoved them into her pockets and belt. She tied her blanket to her back and left the pack that Merry had given her on the ground.

"Let us hunt some Orc!" said Aragorn. Gimli's face lit up.

"Yes!" he cried as if that was what he really wanted to hear that whole time. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Allegra ran off in pursuit of the Urûk Hai that had stolen Merry and Pippin from them. _I will travel to the ends of Middle Earth if I must. I promise I'll find you, Merry and Pippin,_ Allegra thought as a new strength exploded inside her, supplying her with speed and endurance. She could not lose her two best friends since birth to Orcs. She would not let that happen. Ever.


	10. Gandalf Returns

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Ten: Gandalf Returns

Disclaimer_: I own nothing!!_

Authors Note_: I feel very proud of myself, as this marks the beginning of the Two Towers._

_And, as such, I really want to give at least a bit of credit to the Quintessential Lord of the Rings site for the online script I used; I couldn't have done it very easily without them. Thanks! Anyway, on with the show, for you have much to read!_

They returned to the place where they found Boromir and looked around for signs of a large group of Orcs traveling together. It was not hard to find, for the prints left by their feet were three times the size of Allegra's. They cut a wide path through the moist forest floor, leaving a clear trail for miles. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Allegra set out at a run, traveling on and on. Allegra couldn't even feel it when the muscles in her legs began to burn horribly. All she could think about was how bad the situation was getting. Frodo and Sam off by themselves, Merry and Pippin captured by Orcs, Gandalf and Boromir both dead...who was next? Which one of her friends was this mission going to take from her next? Sweat dripped into her eyes, and she angrily wiped it away. She could not stop. She could not lose them.

They ran on until it became too dark to see the trail left by the Orcs. Allegra was reluctant to stop for a rest that night. Gimli, on the other hand, felt exactly the opposite.

"Dwarves aren't meant to run long distances," he said, still trying to catch his breath even after a half an hour.

"Neither are Hobbits, but Allegra seems to be doing well," said Aragorn.

"Well, when the lives of loved ones are at stake, it tends to make you run a little faster," said Allegra almost sarcastically.

"I know you want to go on, but take some food and rest," said Aragorn. "If we are to save Merry and Pippin, we cannot forget to care for ourselves." Allegra shifted her weight restlessly.

"I cannot sleep," she said sadly. "Not until I know they're safe."

"Please try," said Aragorn.

"It seems you have lied to me, Allegra," said Gimli.

"How so?" asked Allegra, alarmed that he would even suggest such a thing.

"You said before that you had no maternal instincts, yet here you are, sounding like a mother," said Gimli. Allegra smiled faintly. Now that she looked back on it, she did sound like a mother. She had been hoping to be a mother one day, but if things went wrong...She did not want to even think of it. The others fell asleep while Allegra sat up, vigilant throughout the night. Before dawn she nibbled on a corner of _lambas_ and drank a sip of water. She watched the sun rise over the horizon in all its pink and orange glory. The light roused the rest and, after they took some refreshments, they got up and searched for the trail again. It was scarce in some parts, but they found it eventually and ran on.

Each day was similar to the one before it in their pursuit of Merry and Pippin. On the third day, Legolas, with his keen Elf eyes, could see the Urûk Hai in the distance, though he could not make out any Hobbits. The trail was getting harder and harder to find as the ground dried out. They had to keep stopping and letting Aragorn press his ear upon the ground to hear the sound of Orc feet against the earth. Later that day Allegra almost burst into tears when they found one of the leaf brooches Galadriel had given them smashed into the earth, but still fully intact, by great Orc footprints. Aragorn handed the brooch to Allegra, who clutched it in her hand sadly for the rest of the day.

Allegra got a little sleep that night, more than she had in a while, but it was full of miserable dreams. Near daybreak, she had a horribly vivid dream of Merry and Pippin being torn apart by the Orcs that held them captive. She woke up with cold tears streaming down her face. She gasped when she looked over and saw Legolas who had his eyes wide open. She calmed down when she reminded herself that all Elves slept with their eyes open. He could not see her crying. She wiped her tears away furiously and did not go back to sleep. At first light, their search resumed. Gimli was finding it harder and harder to keep up. He lagged considerably all that day. Allegra could see a mangled green forest ahead in the distance. She knew that it was Fangorn Forest from all the maps of Middle Earth she had seen.

The terrain became littered with boulders and small naked shrubs. The grass here was yellowish brown and dry. At times it poked painfully at Allegra's feet. The afternoon was growing old when Aragorn stop to listen, but not at the ground.

"Come on!" he said urgently, directing them behind a large boulder. Allegra could feel the vibrations through the earth. It felt like horses. Just then, a huge group of mounted soldiers came over the hill that had been to their left. There had to have been at least two thousand of them. As they passed, Aragorn stepped out from his hiding place.

"Rohirrim!" he shouted. Allegra thought at first that they didn't hear his call until the rider at the head of the group turned, leading the rest back towards them. A knot formed in Allegra's stomach. They were going to run them down! Just before the horses crashed into them, they turned, forming a circle around them. Allegra jumped as every one of them pointed spears down at them.

"What news from the mark?" asked Aragorn, seeming unafraid.

"What business does and Elf, a Man, a child, and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" said one of them, thrusting his spear at them.

"I am no child!" cried Allegra angrily. "I am a Hobbit of the Shire!"

"You will do well to hold your tongue, Miss Hobbit of the Shire," said the rider testily. "Or you will lose it. Now, I'll ask of you again. What business have you here?" he asked.

"Give me your name, Horsemaster, and I shall give you mine," said Gimli stubbornly. The Horsemaster dismounted and glared down at Gimli.

"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood a little higher from the ground," he said. Legolas, quicker than any other them could see, knocked an arrow in his bow and aimed it at the Horsemaster. Allegra, who only reached Gimli's chest, felt very offended and drew her sword.

"You would die before your stroke fell!" cried Legolas angrily.

"I second that!" cried Allegra. The spears were pointed even closer to them. Aragorn pushed down Legolas's hand, Legolas resisting only slightly. Aragorn looked sternly down at Allegra, who reluctantly put her sword back in its sheath.

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the Woodland realm, and Allegra Burrows of the Shire. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your King," Aragorn announced.

"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," said the rider, removing his helmet that blocked most of his handsome features (or at least Allegra thought so...) "Not even his own kin," he said almost sadly. He waved his hand and the other riders withdrew their spears. "Saruman has imprisoned the mind of the King and holds lordship over his lands. We are those loyal to Rohan, and therefore, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked, and everywhere his spies slip past our nets," he explained.

"We are not spies. We are presently tracking a large group of Uruk Hai across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive," said Aragorn.

"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them all during the night. None were left alive," said the rider.

"But did you see two Hobbits? Like Allegra?" asked Gimli urgently.

"Like I said, we left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them," he said, gazing over at the smoke that was rising near the forest.

"They are dead?" asked Gimli quietly. Legolas put a hand on Gimli's shoulder sadly. Allegra's heart skipped a beat.

"I am sorry," said the rider.

"No!" cried Allegra. "No, they can't be dead!" It took all her might not to collapse onto the ground. "They were my friends," she said helplessly, tears rolling down her cheeks in despair. The rider looked down on her with sympathy in his eyes. Allegra was beginning to tremble with anger and misery.

"Hasufel! Arod!" he called. Two horses baring no riders approached them. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." He put his helmet back on his head and mounted his horse.

"Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands," said the rider. "We ride north!" he shouted to his men. They all turned at once and sped away at a steady gallop. Allegra by now could not hold her own weight with her shaky legs. She fell to the ground and coughed miserably through her sobs.

"I loved him," muttered Allegra as the riders disappeared in the distance. "I loved both of them, and now...now they're..."

"Come on, Allegra. They may be alive," said Aragorn, lifting her onto one of the horses. He climbed onto the back of the saddle as Gimli and Legolas did the same. Aragorn kicked at the horse's sides. It whinnied and galloped toward the smoking pile of Orc cadavers. When they drew close enough, Allegra could see a severed Orc head, its mouth open, pierced through a pike that was stuck in the ground. Aragorn jumped down off the horse and lifted Allegra down. She managed to stand up and stagger towards the stinking, smoldering pile. She dropped on her knees before it, unable to help herself and cried. Gimli began digging through the dead Orcs with his axe, trying to find a trace of Merry and Pippin. He paused for a moment and wrenched out a charred belt and a dagger sheath.

"It's one of their wee belts," he said quietly. Allegra felt her heart shatter in her chest. After a moment, she screamed in anger and despair, beating a fist on the ground. _This can't be happening!_ She thought frantically. _They can't be dead! They can't!_ Aragorn became angry and kicked a discarded helmet and shouted in anger. _Not dead, not dead, not dead!!_ Legolas bowed his head, saying

"Hiro îth ab 'wanath..." Aragorn fell to his knees.

"We failed them," said Gimli. Allegra sobbed louder at this, muttering incoherently to herself. _Not dead, no...not Merry and Pippin...my best friends! They can't be dead! _Aragorn suddenly looked up and touched the grass beside him.

"A Hobbit lay here...and the other," said Aragorn. Allegra looked up, her mouth slightly ajar, her eyes bloodshot and watery. She sniffed and wiped her eyes so she could see better and got up to look over his shoulder. She saw two barely visible signs that someone might have lain there. "They crawled...," said Aragorn, watching the earth carefully. "but their hands were bound." He dug around in the grass and pulled out a severed piece of rope. "Their bonds we cut...they ran over here, and were followed," he said, walking Merry and Pippin's path. Allegra paid close attention as she walked directly behind Aragorn, her heart and mind racing. _They could still be alive!!_ "The tracks lead away from the battle," he said, breaking into a jog as he followed their tracks. Allegra ran with him, her heart racing. _Please still be alive!_ She thought hopefully. Aragorn stopped before the forest's edge. Strange trees tangled around one another, making it look very dense. Just looking at it made Allegra claustrophobic. "And into Fangorn Forest."

"Fangorn...what madness drove them in there?" Gimli wondered aloud. They entered Fangorn, still following Merry and Pippin's trail. Gimli found some black liquid dripping from a tree. He put his fingers to it and tasted it. He spat it out. "Orc blood!" he growled.

"These are strange tracks," observed Aragorn, looking at the large, round footprints in the soil.

"The air in here is so close!" cried Gimli.

"This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory...and anger," said Legolas. Allegra heard a distinct groan issue from the trees around them. Their trunks and branches shifted slightly. Gimli held up his axe in defense. "The trees are speaking to each other," said Legolas.

"Gimli!" Aragorn whispered.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Lower your axe!" he instructed.

"Oh," said Gimli nervously, lowing his axe.

"Aragorn, nad n­â ennas!" said Legolas. _Something is out there!_ Allegra heard.

"Man ceich?" asked Aragorn. _What do you see?_

"The White Wizard approaches," he responded. Adrenaline was pumped into Allegra's veins. _If losing Merry and Pippin wasn't enough... _she thought. _Now Saruman has found us!_

"Do not let him speak," Aragorn commanded. "He will put a spell on us." He grasped the hilt of his sword tightly. Allegra did the same. Legolas readied his bow while Gimli gripped an axe made for throwing. "We must be quick," breathed Aragorn. Allegra could hear someone approaching them from behind. With a yell, the four of them turned around to attack. At the same time, Gimli threw his axe and Legolas let his arrow fly. Both were deflected, and the swords of Aragorn and Allegra grew hotter than flames in their hands. They dropped their swords just as a blast of white light blinded them.

"You are tracking the footsteps of two young Hobbits," said the wizard in a voice that was alien, yet almost familiar to Allegra's ears.

"Where are they?" demanded Aragorn.

"They passed through here the day before last. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" he asked, his voice becoming more like one she recognized from long ago, yet she still did not trust it.

"Nothing will comfort me except for seeing them with my own eyes!" cried Allegra, still shielding her eyes.

"Calm down, my child, there is no need for anger," said the Wizard.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Aragorn demanded. All at once, the blinding white light dimmed, exposing the face of an old friend. He was completely clad in pure white. His hair matched his robes. The only thing that had not changed was the forever-wise expression upon his face.

"It cannot be...," said Aragorn in amazement. Legolas and Gimli both bowed down. Allegra stood still, shocked by what she saw.

"Gandalf?" she asked hopefully.

"Gandalf," he said thoughtfully. "Yes, that's what they used to call me. Gandalf the Grey. That was my name." Allegra smiled and laughed out loud. She ran to hug him. He seemed surprised by the impact of her little body, but he patted her on the back and smiled just the same.

"Oh, Gandalf, everything's gone so horribly wrong!" she cried. "But at least you're back!"

"How can this be? You fell," said Aragorn.

"Yes. Through fire and water. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last, I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me. And I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as a life-age of the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life within me again. I have been sent back until my task is done," he said. Gimli smiled.

"Gandalf!" he said, relieved.

"I am Gandalf the White," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide."

"Do you know where Merry and Pippin are?" asked Allegra urgently.

"They are with a friend. Do not worry so, Allegra," he said reassuringly.

"Are you sure?" asked Allegra.

"Quite sure," Gandalf promised her as he threw a grey cloak over his white robes. "When one part of the journey ends, another begins," he said as he began to lead them out of the forest. "War has come to Rohan. We must ride to Edoras with haste." When they reached the edge of the forest, the clouds had cleared. The sun felt warm on Allegra's cold cheeks. Gandalf looked around the plain for a moment, and then let out a high pitched whistle. The strange, unearthly tune carried far over the land, and it nearly hurt Allegra's ears. A few minutes later, Allegra heard the whinny of a horse nearby. It came at a steady gallop over the hill to their left. Allegra had never seen a more beautiful horse. Its coat was a brilliant white, as was its mane and tail. It slowed to a trot before Gandalf, who stroked its neck.

"Shadowfax," said Gandalf. Gimli bowed, holding his axe over his breast. "He is the lord of all horses, and has been my friend through many dangers." Gandalf mounted the horse. "Come! We ride to Edoras!" Aragorn lifted Allegra onto the horse before mounting. Legolas did the same with Gimli. Aragorn kicked the horse's sides and rode off the catch up with Gandalf, who already had a significant head start. Allegra didn't want to leave Fangorn behind. She would rather be left there to try and find Merry and Pippin than go further away from them. She wished so much to see Pippin again that her heart ached.

The sun set that night, and the Company took some rest. Allegra leaped off the horse by herself, feeling quite silly making Aragorn pick her up and put her down all the time. She rolled out her blanket in the softest patch of grass she could find and curled up on it. She sat and did some thinking before she fell asleep as she did most nights. She noticed that the date was the first of Rethe (or March, on the calendars of Men.) She had a feeling that much was going to happen during this time. The plot seemed to be thickening considerably, after all. War was brewing in every land, it seemed, and every race seemed to be involved. The thought of war made Allegra think about Frodo and Sam. She felt guilty that for the past week she had done nothing but worry about Merry and Pippin. She wondered where Frodo and Sam were. She wondered if they were still alive, or if she would ever see them again. She knew that Merry and Pippin were safe with whomever Gandalf had left them, but she did not even know the road that Frodo and Sam were taking. _Oh, I hate not knowing things!_ She thought to herself angrily. _All this worrying and not knowing is going to make me an old woman faster than I'm comfortable with!_ All the worrying she was doing had made her tired. She took the leaf brooch they had found earlier and clutched it with both hands as she fell asleep, feeling very alone.

The next day, they set out again, their horses rested and energized for another half a day's run. The terrain became hillier. However, the boulders did not cease to litter the land. The last of the Misty Mountains loomed nearby. A little later that morning, Allegra spotted a large village ahead on a hill.

"That is Edoras," Aragorn told her. "And the large building in the center is Meduseld. The Golden Hall." They halted before they got any closer.

"There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's power over him is very strong," said Gandalf. They rode the rest of the way to the gates of Edoras. It took around an hour, and by then Allegra's rear end ached from riding on a horse for so many hours with no rests in between. Although they were allowed to enter Edoras, they were not greeted warmly. In fact, people seemed almost scared. Upon seeing them, mothers with children fled into their homes, shooting nasty looks at the strangers. Allegra felt uncomfortable with all the stares they were attracting. Gandalf lead them through the village that by now seemed almost deserted, up to the Golden Hall, Meduseld. Allegra looked up at the building looming over them and saw a woman in a white dress looking down at them. She turned and left after a moment. When they reached the great doors of Meduseld, several guards met them. They were all armed with spears. One of them came forward.

"I cannot allow you before Théoden-King so heavily armed, Gandalf Greyhame," said the guard. Then he sighed and nearly rolled his eyes. "By order of Grima Wormtongue..." Gandalf nodded and unfastened his sword from his belt and gave it to the guard. He signaled for the others to give up their weapons as well. Allegra sighed and uncomfortably parted with _Namárie_. Aragorn handed the guards his sword and his knives, as did Legolas, who twirled his into the hands of the guard. He also gave them his bow and quiver. Gimli grunted as he disarmed himself, handing over his large axe and the two for throwing.

"Your staff," said the head guard.

"Oh," said Gandalf quietly, now leaning some of his weight onto his staff. "No, you would not part an old man from his walking stick..." he said gingerly to the guard, as innocently as possible. The guard sighed, slightly annoyed, and let them pass. Legolas acted as if he were helping Gandalf to walk to add extra emphasis. Gandalf looked down at Allegra and gave her a tiny wink. She had to try not to let a smile show on her lips.


	11. The Exorcism

**Loving Allegra**

Chapter Elven: The Exorcism

Inside the Hall, there were benches and tables lining the sides and a great throne against the far wall in front of them. On the throne sat a withered old man, who looked as though he had seen many more sunrises than Gandalf had. He could barely hold up his own head to look at the strangers. Beside him sitting in a smaller, less impressive chair, was a man with greasy black hair that touched his shoulders. He had a thin face that reminded Allegra of a Snake. His skin was chalk white, and his eyes were watery and blue. He bent down and said into Théoden's ear,

"My lord, Gandalf the Gray approaches. He's a herald of woe." Legolas by now had let Gandalf walk on his own. Gandalf had assumed the position at the front of the group of strangers as he walked towards the throne.

"The courtesy of your Hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden-King," said Gandalf, skepticism in his voice. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Allegra followed him at a little distance. Allegra saw the Snake lean down and speak to Théoden again. She could barely make out what was said.

"He is not welcome," he said. Théoden barely moved, but cast his eyes up to Gandalf.

"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" asked Théoden in voice that rattled past his thin, shriveled lips. He looked at the Snake for a moment. He got to his feet after receiving Théoden's glance.

"Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Ill news is an ill guest," he said.

"Be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!" Gandalf said in a forceful voice. He raise his staff to Wormtongue, no longer leaning on it.

"His staff!" cried Wormtongue, backing away. "I thought I told you to take the wizard's staff!" The guards that had been following closely attacked the company. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli began to fight them. Gimli was at first mostly guarding Allegra from harm until Allegra joined in as well, stomping on feet and kicking shins and other places of great sensitivity. Because of her size, she was not as good as the rest at hand-to-hand combat. Gandalf still advanced upon Théoden.

"Théoden, son of Thengel. Too long have you sat in the shadows," said Gandalf. During the time in which he was speaking, Wormtongue attempted to crawl away from the scene. Gimli caught sight of him and pinned him to the floor with his foot, letting out an intimidating growl.

"I would stay still, if I were you," he said. Gandalf then held up his staff.

"Harken to me! I release you from the spell!" he said, gesturing with his hand. Suddenly, Théoden began to cackle evilly. It made Allegra's skin prickle. She could almost recognize the voice.

"You have no power here, Gandalf the Gray!" he said. Allegra now knew his voice. She had heard it atop Caradhras. It was Saruman. Gandalf threw back his grey cloak, exposing his robes which now shone with a brilliant white light that threw the possessed Théoden back against his seat. Gandalf pointed his staff directly at Théoden.

"I shall draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound," said Gandalf, advancing on the throne. The woman Allegra had seen earlier, clad in white, began to run towards Théoden, concern in her eyes. Aragorn held her back while Gandalf performed his exorcism.

"Wait," Aragorn told her. She looked on with a frightened face. Théoden spoke again in Saruman's voice.

"If I go, Théoden dies," he said. Gandalf thrust his staff forward, and Théoden was pushed back against the throne. He groaned in pain.

"You did not kill _me,_ and you will not kill _him_!" Gandalf commanded. Though seeming in great pain, Saruman spoke once more.

"Rohan is mine!" he growled.

"Be gone!" shouted Gandalf. In rage, the body of Théoden began to charge Gandalf. Gandalf jabbed his staff at him a final time, throwing him back into his chair. Allegra watched as a veil of darkness was lifted from Théoden's face. He slumped forward and was about to fall onto the floor when the woman in white, who had been allowed free by Aragorn, caught him before he fell. Allegra was amazed to see a much younger looking face when he was propped back up in his chair. The wrinkles began to diminish, and his hair became thicker. The spots of age that had covered his skin before disappeared, and his eyes, which had before been clouded over, came back into focus. He looked about him, and focused on the woman that held him.

"I know your face," he said. "Éowyn?" The woman wept with joy and embraced him.

"Breathe the free air again, my friend," said Gandalf. The Hall seemed to fill with light, and all who inhabited it watched in amazement at their cured King. Théoden got to his feet that before seemed as if they had no hope of ever standing on their own.

"Dark have been my dreams of late," he announced. He looked down at his hands, which were trembling.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better," said Gandalf, his eyes twinkling, "if they grasped your sword." The head guard from before came forward and presented Théoden with his sword. He grasped the sheath and then laid a hand on the hilt before drawing it. He gazed at his reflection in the blade with nostalgia. Wormtongue tried to get up, but was pushed back down by Gimli.

"You aren't going anywhere," he said. This attracted the attention of Théoden who glared at Wormtongue.

"Seize him!" he cried, pointing his sword at the cowering Snake. The head of the guards relieved Gimli of his duties. He picked up Womtongue and forcefully escorted him out of the Hall and down several of its stairs. Wormtongue landed at a break in the stairs painfully. He groaned as he got to his knees. Most of those who had been in the Hall before were now watching the scene unfold outside.

"I have only ever served you!" cried Wormtongue, trying to sound innocent. Théoden had begun to descend down the stairs towards Wormtongue.

"Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" growled Théoden angrily.

"Send me not from your side!" pleaded the Snake, groveling on the ground. Aragorn stepped forward and stopped Théoden, who had raised his sword to kill Wormtongue.

"No my lord!" cried Aragorn at first. Then lowering his voice, he said, "No my lord. Enough blood has been spilt on his account." Grima scrambled to his feet and ran down the stairs. A group of towns-people had congregated in front of the Hall upon hearing the noise from inside. The Snake slithered through the crowd and out of sight.

"Hail, Théoden-King!" announced the head guard. The crowd kneeled down before Théoden. Aragorn knelt down as well. A strange look had come over Théoden's face. He turned and went back into the Hall, looking about as if he'd lost something.

"Where is Théodred? Where is my son?" he asked.

"He is dead, uncle," said Éowyn sadly, tears coming to her eyes. "He has been buried." Théoden looked shocked. He did not speak for a moment.

"Come," said Gandalf, leading him out of the Hall.

"An eventful day this has been," said Gimli with sarcasm.

"Be respectful," Allegra scolded.

"He was my cousin, you know. He was to be King one day. Théodred was my uncle's only heir," said Éowyn sadly.

"I'm sorry for your misfortune," Allegra said.

"Thank you," said Éowyn with a smile.

"Don't worry. Saruman will get what's coming to him," said Allegra, trying to make her feel better.

"Yes," nodded Éowyn. "I believe he will." Gandalf returned ten minutes or so later without Théoden, but with two children. Gandalf carried the young boy in his arms, who was too weak to walk, and helped the even younger girl into the hall by the hand. He lead them to one of the tables and sat them down on the benches.

"I must alert the cook. These children are starved," Éowyn said, retreating out of the main Hall through a corridor.

"What's happened to them?" asked Allegra.

"I don't know," said Gandalf.

"Poor little things," growled Gimli, his soft side showing. Éowyn returned with a tray of soup, rolls, and water. She laid it down in front of the children and sat with them. The little girl began to eat immediately, but the boy was weak and had to muster up all of his strength to lift the spoon to his lips.

"Can you tell me what has happened to you, little ones?" asked Éowyn.

"Our village got attacked and burned," said the boy in a voice that was just more than a horse whisper.

"Where's mama?" asked the girl.

"Shh," said Éowyn, hugging the small girl gently. She got up and went back to find more refreshments for the rest of her guests. Legolas, Gimli, and Allegra sat down at a separate table than the children while they waited for Éowyn to return. Allegra untied her hair for the time they rested, and Gimli removed his helmet. Allegra was annoyed to find that her hair had grown to the length it was when she first woke up in Rivendell. _Those Elven oils must be more potent than I thought_, she thought to herself. Théoden had come back and sat down hard on his throne. Gandalf came an sat by him. He gazed at the hungry children for a moment and then spoke.

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash," he said. "All the more potent for he is driven mad by his fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children." Allegra watched as Gandalf leaned over towards Théoden and put a hand on his throne. "You _must_ fight!"

"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return to fight for their King," said Aragorn. Éowyn returned with meals for each of them. Allegra, who had not been eating correctly for the past week, was overjoyed to have a good meal.

"They will be three hundred leagues away by now. He cannot help us. I know that is what you want, but I will not bring further death to my people," said Théoden grimly.

"Open war is upon you. Wheather you would risk it or not. It cannot be avoided," returned Aragorn. Allegra knew that this was escalating quickly into an argument. She cast her gaze down and focused on the meal in front of her.

"When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was King of Rohan," he said. Gimli, who had little to no table manners whatsoever, took a gulp of beer, losing half of it into his beard. He belched as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, not clearing away most of the spill. Allegra did not mind, but Legolas's nose wrinkled at this. A rare thing it was for an Elf to show much emotion at all. Allegra was surprised at him.

"Then what is the King's decision?" asked Gandalf. Théoden thought for a moment, contemplating what it was he wanted to do.

"We will make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. All of us. Not one citizen must be left in Edoras," said Théoden slowly with a nod.

"Shall I tell the people, my King?" asked the head guard.

"Yes. Gather them together in front of the Hall. Tell them to leave behind what they can, and take only the necessary provisions," said Théoden.

"Yes, sire," said the guard, walking out of the Hall. The company was left to finish the last of their meal. They retrieved their weapons from the corner of the Hall where they had been set by the guards and armed themselves with them. Gimli set his helmet back on his head, and Allegra tied her hair back into a pony tail, not wanting to bother with it anymore.

"Come with me to the stables," said Gandalf to them. Legolas, Gimli, and Allegra followed him outside to the stables in which Shadowfax had been stored for the afternoon. Allegra watched the people of Edoras pack their things and collect their children from their games as they prepared to leave their homes. _I hope my home is still there when I get back,_ Allegra thought.

"Helm's Deep!" cried Gandalf with irritation in his voice once they were in the confines of the stable. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their King?"

"He is only doing what he believes is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past," Aragorn pointed out.

"Where is Helm's Deep? I don't remember seeing it on any maps," said Allegra.

"It is small on most maps. Unnoticeable for those who are just spilling over them in their free time. It is only sixty miles or so from here. It is a stone fortress built into the side of the mountains," Gandalf explained. "But there is no way out of that ravine, should they be cornered there. I believe that Théoden is walking into a trap. If they are attacked there, which I am almost certain they will be, it will be a massecre.Théoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. And the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses _have _ to hold!"

"They will hold," Aragorn promised as they approached Shadowfax. Gandalf stroked the beast's neck.

"The Grey Pilgrim. That is what they used to call me," he said. Allegra was not quite sure whether he was speaking to them or to the horse. "Three hundred lives of men I have walked this earth, and now I have no time. Good luck," he said turning to the company. "My search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east," he said to Aragorn. Gandalf mounted Shadowfax and Aragorn held open the door.

"Go!" cried Aragorn. Legolas jumped out of Gandalf's path as he rode out of the stables faster than when Allegra saw him leave the Shire that day in September. Aragorn lead them back up to Meduseld where they were to wait for further instruction. Allegra watched as Éowyn removed a sword in a sheath from a chest. She unsheathed it and held it for a moment before practicing a little. Aragorn approached her from behind and blocked her swing with one of his knives as she turned around.

"You have some skill with a blade," he observed. She swung her sword around swiftly and rendered Aragorn vulnerable. She stepped back and replaced her sword in its sheath.

"Women of this country learned long ago that those without swords may still die upon them," said Éowyn. "I fear neither death nor pain."

"What do you fear?" asked Aragorn curiously.

"A cage," she said. "To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them, and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire."

"You are a daughter of Kings, a Sheildmaiden of Rohan," said Aragorn putting his knife away. "I do not think that will be your fate." He bowed to her and left. She stared after him as he went. All of Erodas had congregated outside Meduseld. King Théoden mounted his horse and took the front of the group, leading them out of his city. Allegra and Gimli both sat atop a horse for the trip to Helm's Deep. Towards evening, Gimli was entertaining Éowen with an amusing story about the Dwarves.

"It's true you don't see many Dwarf women. And in fact, they're so alike in voice and appearance," he said with a grin and a chuckle, "that they're often mistaken for Dwarf men." Éowyn smiled merrily and looked back at Aragorn. Allegra looked back in time to see him gesture to his chin and whispered to her,

"It's the beards..." Éowyn laughed happily.

"And this, in turn, has given rise to the popular belief that there _are_ no Dwarf women. And that Dwarves just spring out of holds in the ground!" This time Allegra joined in laughing. Gimli chuckled. "Which is of course ridiculous...," he said. All at once the horse reared and sped off. "Whoa!" cried Gimli, who promptly fell out of the saddle and landed with a thump. Allegra laughed as she managed to catch the reigns and turn the horse back around to her normal place in line. As she rode past the fallen Gimli, she heard him saying,

"It's alright, it's alright. Nobody panic! That was deliberate, it was deliberate!" Allegra laughed.

"Look at this! A Hobbit riding a horse! Wait until I tell Merry and Pippin!" cried Allegra happily. Éowyn took the reigns again after helping Aragorn push Gimli back into the saddle.

"Do your kind not ride horses often?" asked Éowyn.

"Well, it's not that, we're too small!" said Allegra. "Except for one Hobbit. He was called Bullroarer, and he could ride a horse. But he was over four feet tall. Most of us can ride only ponies."

"Where do Hobbits hail from?" asked Éowyn.

"The Shire. It's...north-westish from here," said Allegra. She became nostalgic upon speaking of it.

"You miss it?" she asked.

"Yes," sighed Allegra. "All the time."

"Your mind seems heavy today," said Éowyn.

"It is. I cannot sleep most nights. This journey from Edoras has been one of the only fun times I have had," said Allegra with a smile. "Especially when Gimli fell off the horse."

"Hey now!" cried Gimli.

"That was my favorite part as well," Legolas chimed in with a small grin.

"Now wait just a second!" said Gimli. Éowyn laughed again at Gimli's frustrated sputterings.

Night fell on the people of Rohan. Allegra found herself lying awake again. She missed Pippin. She missed all of them. She was glad that Éowyn had come along. She made Allegra feel less lonely, now that she wasn't the only female on the quest that could actually wield a sword. Éowyn saw that Allegra was laying wide awake.

"What's the matter?" she asked softly.

"I miss him," Allegra whispered.

"Who do you miss?" asked Éowyn.

"Pippin," sighed Allegra. "Pippin Took."

"You spoke of him before. Is he friend of yours?" she asked.

"Yes," Allegra replied simply as she stared up into the star filled sky. She could see dark clouds silhouetted in the distance. "And also the only one I've ever loved. I miss him a lot."

"Where is he?" asked Éowyn.

"I don't know. Somewhere in Fangorn Forest, I'd imagine. That is the furthest we were able to track them. Pippin and one of my best friends, Merry. We were separated in Parth Galen. One of our number died, and the rest were split up. Frodo and Sam, two of my other friends, headed towards Mordor alone, and Merry and Pippin were captured by Orcs. They escaped into the Forest," Allegra explained. "I hate not knowing where those four are. It makes me feel insecure."

"You will find them again," said Éowyn. "Love is like that, you know. Whether it is the love of a friend or otherwise."

"I hope so," said Allegra sadly as she rolled over and shut her eyes to sleep. She had only one dream that night. She dreamed that Pippin was lying beside her, his arms around her, and his cheek nuzzled affectionately in her hair. She felt so happy and warm in his arms. But then Allegra started awake, and found that she was alone and freezing cold. She shifted her weight, freeing her blanket out from under her, and wrapped it around herself miserably. _This isn't fair..._, she thought to herself before falling back asleep.

At the sun's first light, the people of Edoras were roused. They collected their things and began their march again towards Helm's Deep. Around midmorning, The head of the guards and one of his fellows came to the front of the line. The head of the guards seemed to have sensed something wrong.

"What is it?" asked his fellow. "Háma?" Every horse out of the plain became restless. The horse that Allegra was riding on (Gimli had chosen to continue on foot) became skittish. It whinnied nervously and chewed its bit with anxiety. Háma, the head of the guards looked around.

"I'm not sure...," he said. Allegra's attention was suddenly taken away from Háma by an unearthly howl and a savage war-cry. She looked up and saw an Orc descend from the hill beside them riding atop a Warg. A beast that reminded Allegra of both a wolf and a bear. The Warg leaped onto Háma and killed him with a brutal slash of its claws. The Orc directed its monstrous steed towards the other guard, but Legolas was too quick. He shot the Warg with an arrow and killed the fallen Orc with one of his knives.

"A scout!" shouted Legolas to Aragorn.

"What? What's the matter?" asked Théoden, who could not see what was going on.

"Wargs! We're under attack!" shouted Aragorn. The people of Edoras became frightened, then. They cried and held their children close, trying to prevent them from panicking.

"All riders to the head of the column!" Théoden commanded. Gimli struggled to get onto the horse that Allegra had just jumped off of.

"Come on, help me up! I'm a rider! Argh!" he groaned, trying to make it up to the saddle. Legolas helped him onto the horse and directed his watchful eyes to the many Warg-riders that were headed in their direction. Théoden then looked down at his niece.

"You must lead the people to Helm's Deep! And make haste!" he told her.

"I can fight!" Éowyn protested.

"No! You must do this," he said. "For me." She held his gaze for a moment, then reluctantly turned to refugees.

"I want you to go with her," Aragorn told Allegra.

"What? No, I'm staying!" cried Allegra, who had already drawn her sword.

"Please, Allegra. There will be many more battles to fight. Go help Éowyn with the people," Aragorn said. "You must help to protect them." Allegra paused, thinking it over. Not wanting to argue any more with Aragorn, she decided to follow his orders.

"Don't die, okay?" said Allegra. Aragorn grinned slightly.

"I won't. Go on, now!" he said, his voice raised. Allegra ran after Éowyn, who was shouting to the people.

"Come now! To Helm's Deep! Hurry!" The people of Edoras turned to find an alternate route to Helm's Deep, leaving the Warg-riders behind. Luckily they weren't followed, but Allegra took up the rear to make sure that no one was left behind.

"Come on, lad, don't lag. This isn't the time, nor the place to be lagging," said Allegra trying to heard a boy of about thirteen back to the main group.

"Quit bossing me! You're too small to be bossing!" said the boy grumpily, though Allegra could tell he was tired and scared above anything else.

"I may be smaller than you, but I'm about fifteen years older than you, so that means I have authority over you," said Allegra sternly. "Please join the rest, I don't want to see you get hurt." He sighed and joined the column again. Éowyn lead them towards the mountains, and in about two more hours, they arrived at the stone fortress. Allegra had to admit, it looked pretty sturdy. It was no wonder that the people felt safe there. However, she also saw Gandalf's reasoning. If they were attacked, they would be cornered. Helm's Deep was a refuge. It was not built for war.

"We're safe!" cried the people. A woman hugged Éowyn, thanking her for saving them. The gates were opened for them by other peoples of Rohan, whose homes had already been destroyed by Saruman's wild men. People lined the corridors, some crouching, other standing, all looking equally frightened and hopeless. Except for the two children they had nursed back to help at Meduseld, who found their mother in the throngs of people inside Helm's Deep. Not a moment after that, a guard came into the keep.

"Make way for Théoden!" he shouted to the people who had gathered in the keep. Upon hearing this announcement echo off the stone walls, Allegra made her way through the people in the crowded hall beside the keep and went to meet Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli. Everyone moved out of the way before Théoden entered the hall on his horse. Allegra smiled as she saw Legolas and Gimli enter Helm's Deep after him. However, her smile faded when she noticed that Aragorn was no where in sight, and very few of the Rohirrim had returned from the quarrel with the Wargs.

"So few," said Éowyn to her uncle. "So few of you have returned." Théoden dismounted and turned to her.

"Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives," he replied. Allegra approached Gimli and Legolas with hopeful eyes. Gimli turned to Éowyn.

"My lady...," he said slowly.

"Lord Aragorn," she said. "where is he?"

"He fell," said Gimli, his voice wavering. Allegra fell to her knees, too broken to utter a sound. Gimli put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Allegra."

"Damn him!" cried Allegra angrily, tears spilling down her face. She beat her fist on her leg helplessly. "He told me he wouldn't die!"

"It couldn't be helped," he said.

"If he would have just let me say, maybe I could have done something," said Allegra.

"Don't even start blaming yourself!" cried Gimli. "It had nothing to do with your staying or going. Up with you, now, lass. We don't have much time to grieve." Allegra felt old and tired just then. Her heart could not take much more death of those that were close to her. _When I get back to Pippin, he will find me an old woman, too tired to get married or have children!_ She thought sadly. Gimli helped her to her feet and they waited for further instruction from Théoden. Not an hour later, cried of joy erupted in the keep.

"He's alive!" they cried. Allegra looked up, a knot forming in her stomach. "Aragorn is back!" Gimli looked up upon hearing Aragorns name. He dashed towards the keep, plowing through the people of Rohan.

"Where is he?" he shouted. "Where is he? Get out of the way! I'm going to kill him!" Allegra followed in the path that Gimli had cut through the sea of people. Allegra stopped in front of the horse that bared a wet, dirty Aragorn. "You are the luckiest, the canniest, and the most reckless man I ever knew!" cried Gimli. "Bless you, laddie!" Allegra crossed her arms and looked up at Aragorn with an irritated look.

"This is a plot to make me get old before I'm supposed to, isn't it?" she asked. "You're all just going to keep faking death until I just keel over, aren't you?"

"Why are you angry? I kept my promise," he pointed out.

"So you did," said Allegra with a nod.

"Where is the King?" asked Aragorn. Gimli pointed to the stairs before them. Just as he started towards the stairs, he ran into Legolas.

"Le ab-dollen," said Legolas. _You're late. _Allegra smiled, and Aragorn stifled a little chuckle. Legolas's brow furrowed slightly as he looked Aragorn over. "You look terrible..." Legolas extracted a necklace from his breast pocket. It was Aragorn's present from Arwen. She had heard the tale of their love before, and knew that he was carrying the Evenstar, a symbol of Arwen's immortality given to Aragorn to keep forever. Legolas handed Aragorn the necklace, and Aragorn took it. He smiled and clapped Legolas on the shoulder.

"Hannon le," said Aragorn. _Thank you._ Allegra saw Éowyn standing nearby, her eyes full of tears. Allegra knew that feeling that Éowyn's face expressed. Her heart was broken.

**Author's note: **Okay, revisions are complete. For those of you that have read the story already, you're probably wondering when the hell I'm ever going to get around to getting new stuff up...unless of course no one that's reading this now has ever read it and it's all new to you...anyway, I'll be posting some new chapters soon, I just have to section them off from the master copy of doooom! Right then. I'll be back in a bit...


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